Why do children of Patuakhali pick Keora fruit?

A specific variety of fruit called Keora - also known as Sonneratia apetala or Sonneratia mangrove - thrives in the mangrove forests that line the coastal belt of Bangladesh’s Patuakhali district. High tide brings the fruit of the Keora tree floating upriver.

The mangrove trees not only protect homes from cyclones and deadly floods, but also provide a means of subsistence for the young boys and girls of Patuakhali’s Daulatpur and Taherpur villages.

Children cross the Andharmanik River in little boats, swaying with the waves as they pick Keora fruits from the mangrove trees.

They load up the boat with as many fruits as they can carry and row back across the river to sell to the residents. They go out and spend it on things like candy and playthings.

Reporter’s age: 16 | Patuakhali