Real lives I went down to Kukri Mukri which is one of the Islands or Chars on the coast. It's hard to see where the sea starts and the land begins because there are so many rivers. About 10,000 people live on Kukri Mukri and 70% of them fish for a living. Another 20% are farmers. Lots of children are forced to work to help their families survive. Because there are so many people, and the rich get all the best land, the poorest are forced to live close to the sea and the rivers. These are the areas that are first to flood in the cyclones, which are far too common for comfort. Kukri Mukri has two cyclone shelters that will keep people safe from the wind and tidal waves but they can only hold about 1,600 people. A system of flags warns people if a cyclone is coming. One flag means the cyclone is not heading this way, 3 means get out of the way now, it's coming straight at us. On Kukri Mukri I met Sonnai (9) and her brothers Abul (12), Zahrul (13) and Zakir (15). They live in a small wood and bamboo house with their parents Seraj and Zohra. Even at the age of 9, Sonnai has to work hard to help her family. One of her jobs is to help collect water from the well and carry it home. This has to be done 5 or 6 times a day. Abul is responsible for looking after the animals, a cow, two goats and some chickens and ducks. He has to provide grass for the animals to eat and collect the milk and eggs for the family to eat. Seraj, Zahrul and Zakir go fishing every day and on a good day can get 250 fish. They eat some and sell the rest. Sonnai and Adul are luckier than most children there because they go to a school that ActionAid helped to set up. Zohra now also has the chance to go to literacy classes for women. She says, "I like studying. I think women shoud have the chance to be educated. We can plan how to make our lives better."