Places
Sasha lives in Siberia, which makes up most of Russia, the biggest
nation in the world. Although Siberia covers such a large area,
not many people live there because of the extreme cold in winter.
Northern Siberia is inside the Arctic Circle, not far from the
North Pole. In some places the snow never melts, and even the
sea is frozen. Sometimes the cold can freeze your breath.
In summer people spend much more time outdoors. They grow vegetables
and grain on their farms. Sasha's village is famous for its camomile
flowers, which Sasha helps pick to make tea and medicine which
the villagers sell.
Many Siberians work in coal mines, or producing timber from the
forests. Others go to the cities to find work. Sasha's stepfather
works in Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia.
The photographer Sarah Errington travelled to Western
Siberia to visit Sasha and his family.
Cidinha lives in Ludovico village in Brazil, the largest country
in South America. Her home is in the North, near the Amazon river
and the rainforest that grows around it. Half the year it is dry
and dusty, the other half, it rains. Sadly the Amazon rainforest
is disappearing, together with its wildlife, because so many trees
have been cut down. People all over the world are working with
the Brazilians to prevent this.
The city of Rio de Janeiro is famous all over the world for its
beautiful beaches and its carnival, held every year. Life in the
countryside, where Cidinha lives, is quite different. Although
Cidinha's family has a television set, the electricity supply
is weak, and there are power cuts nearly every day.
Most people in South America speak Spanish, but in Brazil the
main language is Portuguese, a reminder that the country was once
ruled by Portugal.
The photographer Julio Etchart visited Ludovico
village in Brazil to meet Cidinha and her family.
Shakeel lives in Hyderabad in India, the second most populated
country in the world after China. Hyderabad is hot, dusty and
dry, but other areas in India are green and lush. Parts of India
are modern, with hundreds of factories producing computers,
cars and electronics. The biggest cities, Calcutta, Delhi and
Bombay, are very crowded. However, three-quarters of India'
s people work outside the cities, on the land, growing most
of the world's tea and cotton.
Ancient traditions and customs of different religions - Islam,
Hinduism, Sikhism, Christianity and Buddhism - are a part of everyday
life for most Indians. Shakeel is a Muslim. He speaks Urdu, one
of sixteen languages spoken in India. The main ones are Hindi
and English.
The photographer Rajendra Shaw lives and
works in Hyderabad in India. He took the pictures of Shakeel.
Anusibuno lives in Ghana on the west coast of Africa. Ghana is
about the same size as the UK. In the south of Ghana there are
cities, forests, and farmland. The capital, Accra, is modern and
bustling.
In the north, where Anusibuno lives, it is dry and dusty. Most
people make their living by farming. The children help with the
work, carrying firewood or bringing water from the well or looking
after the animals.
Anusibuno learns English at school as well as her own language,
Kasenanankani, because Ghana was once ruled by Britain.
The photographer Sarah Errington visited Ghana to take the photographs
in Anusibuno’s village.
