Charmaine Casha has launched a new environmental booklet entitled ‘Xingu f’Wied Gholliqa’. This booklet, produced in collaboration with Nature Trust (Malta) and sponsored by the HSBC Cares For The Environment Fund, will be distributed to thousands of primary school children who visit the Wied Gholliqa reserve in Kappara each year to learn about the flora and fauna found in this valley.

The main character is a robin named ‘Xingu’, who tells children about his migratory journey to Malta and his stay at Wied Gholliqa. In the booklet Xingu guides the children round the valley and gives general information about some of the trees, plants and birds found there and in our countryside. For every subject there are line drawings to be coloured in, together with a number of games and

questions for children to have fun and learn more about the natural environment.

“HSBC and Nature Trust have been cooperating for many years on different projects, including the rehabilitation of Wied Gholliqa and its educational centre. In 2004 I successfully applied for an Earthwatch Fellowship, awarded through HSBC Group’s Investing in Nature initiative, and following my return from Brazil, I decided to become more involved in environmental education,” said Ms Casha, who works for HSBC.

She continued: “With the support and encouragement of the bank, I got involved in a project to propagate holm oak trees and now we have launched this booklet, which hopefully will help children appreciate the importance of caring for our environment.”

The content of the booklet was prepared by Ms Casha, with the support of Nature Trust (Malta), while the illustrations are the work of artist Andrew Micallef.

The design and production costs were covered entirely by HSBC Cares For The Environment Fund.