Mwa tolopo yepatehile ya Nairobi, kwahule ni mandu kokufumaneha pabalelo, nekuina sikwata sa bashimani benebasina mandu. Zazi ni zazi nebaipilelanga bupilo bwa bona onacwalo. Zazi leliñwi kakusasani, bashimani ba nebaputa-puta miseme yabona kuzwisa fafasi kwatukwaa mukwakwa konebalobalanga. Kuli balelekise silami, nebatukisanga mulilo kakuitusisa manyalala a mwa mikwakwa. Fahalaa sikwata sa bashimani ba, nekunani mushimani wa libizo la Magozwe. Yo neeli yomunyinyani kakufitisisa.
In the busy city of Nairobi, far away from a caring life at home, lived a group of homeless boys. They welcomed each day just as it came.
On one morning, the boys were packing their mats after sleeping on cold pavements. To chase away the cold they lit a fire with rubbish.
Among the group of boys was Magozwe. He was the youngest.
Nako yenebatimela bashemi ba Magozwe, na nani lilimo zeketalizoho. Nayopilanga ni bo malumahe ili kwa nayo nyandisiwanga. Magozwe nasafiwangi lico kamokuswanela kono inge bamufanga feela kueza misebezi yetata.
When Magozwe’s parents died, he was only five years old. He went to live with his uncle. This man did not care about the child. He did not give Magozwe enough food. He made the boy do a lot of hard work.
Ilyo abafyashi bakwa Magozwe baafwile, aalifye ne myaka isaano. Aile mukwikala na banalume. Banalume tabapooseleko amaano kuli Magozwe. Taabaaleemupeela ifyakulya ifyakumanina. Baaleemupeela incito shakubomba ishingi.
Haiba Magozwe na tongokanga kamba kubuza, bo malumahe neba munatanga. Haiba wabuza zakuya kwa sikolo, bo malumahe nebamunatanga ni kumubulelela kuli, “Wena usikuba, hakuna zoukona kuituta.” Hase kufitile lilimo zetalu zaku kupila mwamanyando a cwalo, Magozwe abaleha mwalapa la bo malumahe. Cwale akala kupila mwa mikwakwa.
If Magozwe complained or questioned, his uncle beat him. When Magozwe asked if he could go to school, his uncle beat him and said, “You’re too stupid to learn anything.”
After three years of this treatment Magozwe ran away from his uncle. He started living on the street.
Nga Magozwe ati epushe nangu ukuilishanya, banalume baaleemuma. Ilyo Magozwe aipwishe palwa kuya ku sukulu, banalume baalimumine kabili baatiile, “Iwe tawakwata amaano. Tapali ico wingasambilila.” Panuma ya myaka itatatu iyakumusunga muli uyu musango, Magozwe aalibuutwike ukufuma pa ŋanda yaba nalume. Aatampile ukwikala mu musebo.
Bupilo bwa mwa mikwakwa nebukataza mi bashimani babañata nebakatazeha zazi ni zazi kuli bafumane zakuca. Linako zeñwi nebatamiwanga mane zeñwi nebanatiwanga. Haiba yomuñwi naakula, nekusina wakubatusa. Sikwata sa bashimani se, nesipilela fa tusheleñi twakukupa ni tonebafumananga mwakulekisa tupepa ni lika zeñwi zene kona kupangiwa sinca hase ziitusisizwe. Bupilo nebutatafalile hahulu luli kabakala kulwananga ni likwata zeñwi za bashimani banebalata hahulu kulwana nikuzamaisa likalulo za libaka zeñwi za tolopo.
Street life was difficult and most of the boys struggled daily just to get food. Sometimes they were arrested, sometimes they were beaten. When they were sick, there was no one to help.
The group depended on the little money they got from begging, and from selling plastics and other recycling.
Life was even more difficult because of fights with rival groups who wanted control of parts of the city.
Ukwikala mu musebo kwali ukwayafya kabili abalumendo abengi baaleecuula cila bushiku pa kusanga icakulya. Inshiku shimo baaleebooma, shimbi baaleebeekata kuli bakapokola. Nga baalwala takwaleeba abakubaafwa. Ulupiya baaleesanga mu kulombalomba, mu kushitisha amapulasitiki na fimbi elwaleebaafwilishako. Ubuumi bwalyafisheko pantu amabumba yambi ayabalumendo yaaleefwaya ukupoka incende shapusanapusana mu tauni.
Zazi leliñwi, Magozwe hana nangela mwa lingungulu, hafumana kabuka kakale-kale kenekacancaukile kamakande. Hakapukuta-pukuta kukazusa masila mi akashimba ni kukabeya mwa saka ya hae. Zazi ni zazi, hanafezanga kueza musebezi wa hae wa kunopelelanga, nainganga kabuka kao ni kubuha-buhanga maswaniso kakuli nasaazibi kubala.
One day while Magozwe was looking through the dustbins, he found an old tattered storybook. He cleaned the dirt from it and put it in his sack.
Every day after that he would take out the book and look at the pictures. He did not know how to read the words.
Ubushiku bumo ilyo Magozwe aaleefwayafwaya mu fisooso, aasangile ibuuku ilyakale ilyalepauka. Aafumisheko ifiko aalibika na mwisaaka. Cila bushiku, aleefumya ibuuku no kwamba ukulolesha pa fikope. Taishibe ukubelenga.
Maswaniso a mwa kabuka kawo, nabonisa mushimani yanabata kuba muzamaisi wa lifulai. Magozwe niyena naitolelanga kuba muzamaisi wa lifulai. Mane ka linako zeñwi cwalo, naikupulanga kuli neeli yena mushimani yoo yana bulelwa mwa likande la mwa kabuka kawo.
The pictures told the story of a boy who grew up to be a pilot.
Magozwe would daydream of being a pilot. Sometimes, he imagined that he was the boy in the story.
Ifikope fyaleelanga umulumendo uwaishileba kensha wandeke ilyo aakulile. Magozwe aaleeloota palwa kuba kensha wandeke na mu kasuba. Inshita shimo aleemona ukuti emulumendo wine uwa mwibuku.
Zazi leliñwi, ne kubata luli, Magozwe nayemi mwa mukwakwa kukupelela. Muuna yomuñwi hasutelela kuyena mi ali, “Lumela, na kina Thomas, nibeleka fakaufi ni sibaka se koo ukona kufumana lico.” Muuna yo nabulela inge asupile kwa ndu ya mubala wa ñandatalukeke yenani situwa sa mubala wa bundilu. “Nisepa kuli ukakona kuya kwaale ni kuyoonga lico?” amubuza. Magozwe atalimela muuna yoo mi hape atalimela cwalo ni ndu yanamusupelize. “Mwendi,” Magozwe aalaba inge aitamayela kuyoya.
It was cold and Magozwe was standing on the road begging. A man walked up to him. “Hello, I’m Thomas. I work near here, at a place where you can get something to eat,” said the man.
He pointed to a yellow house with a blue roof. “I hope you will go there to get some food?” he asked.
Magozwe looked at the man, and then at the house. “Maybe,” he said, and walked away.
Kwalitaleele kabili Magozwe aiminine pa musebo aleelombalomba. Umwaume umo aishile mupeepi napo aali. “Uli shaani? Nine Thomas. Momba mupeepi napano, pa ncende wingapoka icakulya,” efyo aasosele. Asontele ku ŋanda iyamutuntula no mutenge wa makumbi-makumbi. “Ndesubila walaayapoka ifyakulya?” efyo aipwishe. Magozwe aaloleeshe Thomas elyo kabili aloleesha ku ŋanda. “Limbi ndeeya,” efyo ayaswike, afumanapo.
Hase kufitile kweli, bashimani batwaela kubonanga Thomas. Thomas neeli mutu yanalata kubulela nibatu, sihulu bale ba baipilela mwa mikwakwa. Thomas natelezanga makande abupilo bwa batu. Neeli mutu yanalukile ni pilutelele, na sina kashwau kapa mahañi. Bashimani babañwi bakala kuyanga kwandu koo kuyonganga lico ka nako ya musihali.
Over the months that followed, the homeless boys got used to seeing Thomas around. He liked to talk to people, especially people living on the streets.
Thomas listened to the stories of people’s lives. He was serious and patient, never rude or disrespectful. Some of the boys started going to the yellow and blue house to get food at midday.
Imyeshi yakonkelepo, abalumendo baalibeeleshe ukumona Thomas. Alitemenwe ukulanda na bantu maka-maka abaaleikala mu musebo. Thomas aaleumfwa ilyashi pa buumi bwa aba bantu. Aaleepoosa amaano ku fintu kabili uwacikuuku no mucinshi. Abalumendo bamo, bayambile ukuya ku ŋanda ya mutuntula na Makumbi-makumbi mukupoka ifyakulya akasuba.
Magozwe nainzi kwatuko a mukwakwa inge abuha-buha maswaniso mwa kabuka ka hae mi Thomas hataha kutoina fabukaufi niyena. “Likande leo kilañi?” Thomas abuza. “Ki likande la mushimani yabile muzamaisi wa li fulai,” Magozwe alaba. “Kimañi libizo la hae mushimani yo?” Thomas abuza. “Hanizibi kakuli hanikoni kubala.” Magozwe alaba.
Magozwe was sitting on the pavement looking at his picture book when Thomas sat down next to him.
“What is the story about?” asked Thomas.
“It’s about a boy who becomes a pilot,” replied Magozwe.
“What’s the boy’s name?” asked Thomas.
“I don’t know, I can’t read,” said Magozwe quietly.
Hane bakopani, Magozwe nataluselize Thomas za bupilo bwa hae mwa na balehezi kuzwa ku bo malumahe. Hakuna zeñata zanabulezi Thomas kwandaa kumueleza feela Magozwe inge ateeleza katokomelo. Kalinako zeñwi nebaambolanga inge baca lico kwandu yamasenke a bundilu.
When they met, Magozwe began to tell his own story to Thomas. It was the story of his uncle and why he ran away.
Thomas didn’t talk a lot, and he didn’t tell Magozwe what to do, but he always listened carefully.
Sometimes they would talk while they ate at the house with the blue roof.
Ilyo baakumeene, Magozwe aatendeke ukweba Thomas ilyashi pa buumi bwakwe. Aamwebele ifyo aabuutwike ukufuma kuli banalume. Thomas taalaandile ifingi kabili taebele Magozwe ifyakucita lelo aaleumfwikishafye. Limo-limo baaleelanshanya ilyo baleelya mu ŋanda yamutenge wa Makumbi-makumi.
Magozwe hana sutelezi kukwanisa lilimo zelishumi, Thomas amufa kabuka kakanca ka makande. Kabuka kao nekanani likande la mushimani wa kwa hae yana hulile ni kutuma hahulu ka kuba mulahi yacuulukile wa mbola ya mahutu. Thomas nabalelanga Magozwe likande leo hañata-ñata, kufitela lizazi leliñwi amubulelela ali, “Nihupula kuli seili nako yakuli uye kwa sikolo uyoituta kubala, nji unahana cwañi?” Thomas ataluseza Magozwe kuli nekunani sibaka sanaziba koo banana nebakona kuina ni kuyanga kwa sikolo.
Around Magozwe’s tenth birthday, Thomas gave him a new storybook. It was a story about a village boy who grew up to be a famous soccer player.
Thomas read that story to Magozwe many times, until one day he said, “I think it’s time you went to school and learned to read. What do you think?” Thomas explained that he knew of a place where children could stay, and go to school.
Ilyo Magozwe aali ne myaka ikumi, Thomas alimupeele ibuuku. Ibuuku lyali pa mulumendo wa mumushi uwaleeteya umupila uwalumbwike saana. Thomas alibelengeele Magozwe ili lyashi imiku iingi mpakafye bushiku bumo atiile, “Ndetontonkanya ukuti ulingile ukutampa isukulu pakuti usambilile ukubelenga. Uleetipo shani?” Thomas atiile alishibe incende uko abaana bengalaikala no kuya ku sukulu.
Magozwe anahana fa litaba za sibaka sesinca mi hape ni kuya kwa sikolo. Cwale haiba kuli neeli niti zenebabulelanga bo malumahe kuli ki sitimbi mi hakuna sanakakona kuituta, nakaeza cwañi? Cwale haiba kuli bakomunatanga koo kwa sibaka sesinca bo? Na sabile, “Mwendi ki kokunde kuikinela ine upila mwa mikwakwa,” hanahana.
Magozwe thought about this new place, and about going to school. What if his uncle was right and he was too stupid to learn anything?
What if they beat him at this new place? He was afraid. “Maybe it is better to stay living on the street,” he thought.
Magozwe aatontonkenye pali ii ncende iipya na palwa kuya ku sukulu. Nga limbi ifyo banalume bamwebele ukuti taakwata amaano teeti asambilile icili conse fyaciine? Nga cakuti kulya kuncende bamuuma? Alitiinine. “Limbi cawamapo ukutwalilila ukwikala mu musebo,” efyo aatontonkenye.
Hakandekela Thomas kaza sabo ya hae yeo. Kono, hase kufitile nakonyana, Thomas hamusepisa hañata-ñata kuli bupilo bwa hae nebukayo ba hande hahulu kwa sibaka sesinca.
He shared his fears with Thomas. Over time the man reassured the boy that life could be better at the new place.
Aebele Thomas ati aali no mwenso. Thomas nao alimukoseleshe ukuti akeekalafye bwino kuncende ilya.
Kuzwa foo, Magozwe atutela mwa ndu yene nani situwa sesitala. Naikabela ndu yeo ni balikani ba hae bababeli. Hamoho mwa ndu moo, nekupila banana balishumi. Kwandaa bao, nekunani bo Cissy ni bomuunaabona, linja zetalu, kakaze ni puli yecembezi.
And so Magozwe moved into a room in a house with a green roof. He shared the room with two other boys.
Altogether there were ten children living at that house. Along with Auntie Cissy and her husband, three dogs, a cat, and an old goat.
Efyo Magozwe aile mukwikala mu muputule mu ŋanda yamutenge wa katapa-katapa. Aaleikalamo na balumendo bambi babili. Abaana bonse pamo abaleeikala muli ilya ŋanda baali ikumi. Elyo naba maama Cissy na balume baabo ne mbwa shitatu, puushi elyo ne mbushi iikote.
Magozwe akala sikolo kono hafumana butata. Natokwa kuziba lika zeñata kuli azamayelele hamoho cwalo nibalikani ba hae. Ka linako zeñwi naikutwanga kuli atuhele kono akala kuhupula zamakande anafumani mwatubuka twa hae amufufisi wa lifulai ni mulahi wambola. Sina bona, nasikatuhela.
Magozwe started school and it was difficult. He had a lot to catch up. Sometimes he wanted to give up.
But he thought about the pilot and the soccer player in the storybooks. Like them, he did not give up.
Magozwe alyambile isukulu kabili lyalikosele. Fiingi ashaishibe ifyo aalingile ukwishiba pakuti alingane na banankwe. Limo-limo aaleefwaya no kuleka isukulu. Leelo aaleetontonkanyo pali kensha wandeke na kateya wa mupila abamumabuuku yakwe. Taalekele nga filya fine nabo bashalekele.
Magozwe nainzi mwa lapa kwa ndu yeo yasituwa sa mubala wa butala inge abala kabuka kamakande kene kazwa kwa sikolo. Thomas ataha kutoina kwatuko niyena. “Likande liambola zañi?” Thomas abuza. “Likande liambola za mushimani yanabile muluti,” Magozwe alaba. “Cwale libizo la mucaha yo neeli mañi?” Thomas abuza. “Libizo la hae ki Magozwe,” Magozwe abulela ka lumenyo.
Magozwe was sitting in the yard at the house with the green roof, reading a storybook from school. Thomas came up and sat next to him.
“What is the story about?” asked Thomas.
“It’s about a boy who becomes a teacher,” replied Magozwe.
“What’s the boy’s name?” asked Thomas.
“His name is Magozwe,” said Magozwe with a smile.
Magozwe aikeele panse pa lubansa lwa ŋanda ya mutenge wa katapa-katapa, aleebelenga ibuuku lyaku sukulu. Thomas nao aishile ikala mupeepi nankwe. “Lilelanda pali cinshi ilyashi?” efyaipwishe Thomas. “Lileelanda pa mulumendo awaishileba kafundisha,” efyayaswike Magozwe. “Naani ishina umulumendo?” efyaipwishe Thomas. “Ishina lyakwe ni Magozwe,” efyalandile Magozwe ninshi aleemwentula.
