THINK ABOUT IT

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Q1. What havoc has the super cyclone wreaked in the life of the people of Orissa?
Answer: The super cyclone brought winds with a velocity of 350 km per hour, uprooting trees, and causing houses to be washed away. The angry waters swirled into people’s houses, and a deadly brown sheet of water covered everything. Bloated animal carcasses and human corpses floated everywhere, and entire villages were destroyed.

Q2. How has Prashant, a teenager, been able to help the people of his village?
Answer: Prashant, a nineteen-year-old, took on the role of a leader. He organized a group of youths and elders to pressure a merchant to provide rice for the survivors. He then formed a team of volunteers to clean the shelter of filth and tend to the injured. He also arranged for children to get food from military helicopters and later organized sports events to distract the children and women from their grief.

Q3. How have the people of the community helped one another? What role do the women of Kalikuda play during these days?
Answer: The people helped one another by working as a community. The youths and elders gathered to arrange for food, and the youth task force cleaned the shelter and tended to the injured. The women of Kalikuda were mobilized to look after the orphaned children. They later worked in the food-for-work program started by an NGO to help themselves and others.

Q4. Why do Prashant and other volunteers resist the plan to set up institutions for orphans and widows? What alternatives do they consider?
Answer: Prashant and other volunteers resist the plan because they feel that in institutions, children would grow up without love, and widows would suffer from loneliness and stigma. They believe that orphans should be resettled in their own communities in new foster families. The alternative they consider is creating foster families made up of childless widows and children without adult care within the community itself.

Q5. Do you think Prashant is a good leader? Do you think young people can get together to help people during natural calamities?
Answer: Yes, Prashant is a good leader. He is courageous, resourceful, and compassionate. He takes charge in a desperate situation, organizes people to work together, and makes wise decisions for the good of the community. Yes, young people can certainly get together to help during natural calamities. They have the energy, enthusiasm, and courage to take on challenging tasks and can be a powerful force in rebuilding a community and providing emotional support.