In Hong Kong, lots of schools held online classes because of the Covid pandemic. But in Ukraine, children are having online lessons because their country is at war. Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February, and the two sides are still fighting.
In a village in southern Ukraine, Antonina Sidorenko has put on her favourite clothes. She has selected the prettiest ribbon for her hair, and she has learnt the poem given by her schoolteacher.
But her lessons are taking place at home, with the sound of gunfire in the distance. This is no ordinary first day back at school for the nine-year-old Ukrainian girl.
Sitting at a desk in her living room, Antonina adjusts the mobile phone screen. It shows her teacher Mrs Vasylivna, her friend Igor, and other classmates she has not seen since Russia invaded seven months ago.
"I'm happy to be back at school but I would be even happier if there was no war because I miss my teacher and my friends," she says. Her best friend has escaped to Poland.
Antonina and her five-year-old sister Sonia live with their parents in Pokrovske. It is a village of just 24 people.
Online learning is happening across the country because of the fighting.
Feeding the rabbits
Antonina's parents only got the Zoom app working on their mobile phone a few days before September 1, when school started.
They also made sure the internet router was working. Their electricity was cut off in the summer, so the family gets its power from a solar panel. The solar panel was given to them by a charity.
But there's little they can do against cannons. The sound of Ukrainian cannons booms out at regular times, followed by Russian cannons. Two days earlier, their kitchen windows were smashed by an explosion.
"At the start, when there were explosions near the house, I used to hide and lie on the floor," Antonina says. "But now, when it's far away, I'm used to it and I'm not scared."
While her teacher fixes some problems with Zoom, Antonina shows off the bedroom she shares with Sonia. "Now we sleep on the floor. It's safer that way," she says.
In the courtyard, she feeds the rabbits, her favourite animals. The rabbits, a pig and two cows are the reason why the family is staying here despite the danger.
"What would we do in a town? Where would we stay, and how would we live?" asks her father.
Good school results
When the cannon fire becomes too much, the family drives away in their car for a while until quiet returns to their neighbourhood.
"You need to be like a soldier: stay together, be ready, have everything packed, be quick, don't hesitate, listen to your parents, pack your bags and go," says Antonina's mother.
She treasures her daughter and is proud of her good results and artistic talent. She says Antonina inherited it from her father.
The mother doesn't want to leave the village, saying she worked hard to build the house and save money for her daughters' future.
The teacher is still struggling with Zoom, but Antonina makes use of the time to chat with her friend Igor. She insists on reciting the poem she has learned by heart.
"Peace will come to Ukraine," Antonina says. "Good people want peace. Adults, as well as children, aspire to peace on Earth."
Fun facts
Ukraine is the second-largest country in Europe. It is on the Black Sea. The Ukrainian language is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, which has 33 letters instead of 26!
Quick questions
- Does Antonina live in a village, a town or a city?
- What particular skill does she have?
- What work do you think Antonina's parents do?
