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M e e n a i s a | i t t l e g i r l w h o l i v e s i n a v i l l a g e w i t h h e r p a r e n t s , h e r g r a n d m o t h e r 'herbro therRa ju ,andherbabys is te r ,Ran i .Mi thu , thepar ro t , i sherbes t f r iend .

Meena is like any other little girl you know' She has the same hopes and

worries and dreams.

Share in Meena's adventures as she laughs, climbs trees, asks questions and

iotves problems, and shows you all the things that a little girl can do'

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Script:Orginal concePt:Comic book adaptaiion:

Artistic develoPmentand character designs:Research:

Layout and design:

Creative guidance andproject management:

Deepa tsalsavar

Rachel CarnegieNeill MckeeDeepa Balsavar andDeep Hari

Ram MohanDr. Mira Aghi and researchteams in Bangladesh, India,Nepal and Pakistan

Harsha MehtaKelvin LoPezSachin SatankarMil ind Kadam

Nuzhat ShahzadiUNICEF - Rosa

Father decides t lrat he must go to the city to f ind work. i" le takes Nleena and Raju with him tostay with their aunt" Mithu, lVleena's parrot, goes as well.

i h e ' ; ; n d l l r t : ' f i i l r ] 5 L ] r i ! f l i ] | ] i f i ! ( l n : ; R a 1 l - l | � l : . ; l r l c u l l i i i h i l n | { : : l l i

And Meena is found work with a family in her aunt's building. As socln Meena's father left, thewoman sends Mi thu awav and puts Meena to work

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fVithu sees that Meena is very unhappy and the clever parrot performs a funny circus act ton h o e r h e r r t n

Over" the next days, l ' / leena makesiearns abCILri t treir hard l ives.

l r i e n c l s W t i h t h C C n i ! C i ; f " ' , . , : l . i t : ; . r ' i " , ' s : r , r ' r ' i l i n g s a n t i

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Gulab is twelve Her employers leave for work ear ly in the rnorn lno. T"hey lock her up ins idethe house ai l day. Ayesha is thirteen. She has not been al ioweci to go home to her family forovei ' two vears.

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-.-._----.---....-.-...-.--

1/ ieerra feels r ery scrry f i l r al i tk ie chi !dren ancl for hersef l f . \ rdl"rr . : rr3,ii l Rajir? r"..r li Ar,lr^rt erier rr:tuill frcn: hter trip?

Father does come once to see Meena. But her en'rplc'yer preterrds that l \ le*ira is or, i [ , : jhe ejcesnot want Fatlrer to see that Meena is unhappy working in that hou-'. t--"

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SuCdeir iy, she hear:r a iai lp lng cr- i the hr lck wal l of t l te ki tchen

Meena removes the brick and meets Sara. She works for the family next door. They are justback from a trip. Meena and Sara talk half the night. Sara says her employers are good to herbut she does not want to be a domestic worker all her life.

A little later, as Meena struggles up the stairs with her bucket, the neighbour comes out of herhouse. lt is Aunt! She is Sara's employer! How surprised and upset she is to see Meenaworking.

: ; i i i t t e i " i tpr l i ; i r i i t : :cra i l l l r i i :ncr i l t r ye i l rs . T.hey shn; ' r t r - j b ; : l r l -$ohool"

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By now father has earned enough money, so the family go home. Meena is so happy to be athome and at school again. She often wonders about Sara and her other city friends. Did theyever get to go to the school for working children? Then one day, she gets a letter from Sara.

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Things to discuss and do:

o Talk about the story with your friends. What did you like or not like in the story?Draw a picture of your favourite part.

o What happens to children who work in other people's homes?

r They are in a new place where they don't know anyone

o They miss their mother and father, brothers and sisters

o They have to work too hard and get very tiredo They do not get time to play or make friendso They do not go to school (in most cases)o They feel lonely and afraid, and sometimes sado They may not get enough good food to eato Sometimes they are treated cruelly.

o Do you know a child working in another home? How can you and your family help this child?

. Try to make friends with working children, if possible. lf you are a working child, is there away you can meet and make friends with other children? You can share Meena's story.

o With your friends, make a play to perform at school or in the community based on this story.

o Find out what support is available for working children. You can share your ideas aboutworking children with your family members.

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Other titles in this series1. Count Your Chickens2. Dividing the Mango3. Will Meena Leave School?4. Take Care of Girls5. Saving a Life6. Who's Afraid of the Bullv?7. Say No to DowryB. Meena's Three Wishes9. Too Young to Marry10. I Love School11. l t 's Got to Be a Boy!12. A Girls' Story

Also Available* Meena Educational Package* Video cassettes* Radio Series

unicef @Udtd NadoN CHl&eds Fund

Regional Offi€e lor South Asia

For details contact:UNICEF Regional.Office for South AsiaP.O. Box 5815, Lekhnath MargKathmandu, Nepal.Tel: 977-1-417082Email: nshahzadi@unicef.org

rosa@unicef.orgurww.unicef.org Copyright @ 2002

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