Mwatolopo ye patehile ya Nairobi, kwahule ni mandu abona atokomela nekuina sikwata sabashimani benebasina mandu. Zazi ni zazi nebapilaanga bupilo bwa bona onacwalo. Zazi lelimwi, bashimani nebaputa miseme yabona kuzwa kwatuko ya mikwakwa monebalobalanga. Kuli bazuse silami, nebatukisanga mulilo kakuitusisa masila amwa mikwakwa. Fahali asikwata sa bashimani ba, nekunani mushimani walibizo la Magozwe. Yo neli 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 yenebatimezi bashemi ba Magozwe, nana ni lilimo ze keta lizoho. Kasamulaho, aya kuyopila ni bo malumahe bene bamunyandisa. Neba lico nebasamufi kamokuswanela kono inge bamufanga 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.
Magozwe nasina mata akubuza neba kutongoka kakuli bo malumahe neba mushapaanga. Aiba wabuza zakuya kwa sikolo, bo malumahe bamushapa niku mubulelela kuli, “Wena usikuba, aukoni kuituta.” Hase kufitile lilimo ze talu zaku utiwa mwamanyaando a cwalo, Magozwe abaleha mwalapa la bo malumahe. Cwale akala kuipilela 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. Bana babashimani babang’ata nebakatazeha kufumana zakuca. Kabaka la kuuzwa lico zabatu fokumu nebatamiwa fokumu nebashapiwa. Haiba yomumwi akula, nekusina wakubatusa. Tusheleni twakukupa ni tobafumani mwakulekisa tupepa nilika zengw’i kona tone baitusisanga mwabupilo bwabona. Bupilo nebutatafalile hahulu kabaka la sikwata sabashimani banebalata kulwana nikuzamaisa likalulo zemu 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 lelimwi, Magozwe hana batabata mwasingungulu, afumana kabuka kakale kamakande. Akashimba akapukuta nikukabeya mwamukotana wahae. Zazi ni zazi, nainga kabuka kao nikutalimatalima maswaniso kakuli nasazibi 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.
Liswaniso ze, nelibonisa mucaha yanabata kuba muzamaisi wa fulai. Magozwe kona ainahanela kuli wakona kuba muzamaisi wa fulai. Nako yemwi, naikutwa inge kuli kiyena yababulelwa mwalikande.
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 lelimwi, hane kubata, Magozwe ayemelela mwamukwakwa nikukala kukupelela. Muuna yomumwi asutelela kuyena. “Lumela. Na kina Thomas. Nibeleka fakaufi nisibaka se koo ukona kufumana sakuca.” Muuna yo abulela inge asupa kwandu yamubala wang’anda yalukeke yenani situwa sa bundilu. “Nisepa kuli wakona kuya kwale nikuyonga sakuca?” abuza. Magozwe atalima muuna yo hape nikutalimela ndu yana musupelize. “Mwendi,” Magozwe alaba inge azamaya.
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.
Hanekufitile likweli, bashimani batwaela kubonana ni Thomas. Thomas neli mutu yanalata kubulela nibatu, sihulu bale babaipilela mwa mikwakwa. Thomas natelezanga kwa makande abupilo bwabatu. Neli mutu yalukile nikuikuteka na sina kashwau kapa mahang’i. Hasa mulahonyana, bashimani babamwi bakala kuya kwandu yale kuyonga lico kanako yamusihali.
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 nimukwakwa inge atalima maswaniso mwa kabuka kahae. Nako ye Thomas ataha kutoina fakaufi niyena. “Kabuka kao katalusa ng’i?” Thomas abuza. “Likande kila mushimani yomumwi yakala kuzamaisa fulai,” Magozwe alaba. “Kimang’i libizo 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.
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 hasa sutelela kwa kukwanisa lilimo ze lishumi, Thomas amufa kabuka kamakande kasili. Kabuka ka nekatalusa za mushimani yomumwi wa kwahae mwanazibahalezi kabaka la kulaha mbola. Thomas namubalezi likande le hang’atang’ata kufitela zazi lelimwi amubulelela ali, “Nihakaleza kuli seli nako yakuli uye kwasikolo uyoituta kubala nji unahana cwani?” Thomas ataluseza Magozwe kuli kunani sibaka saziba ko banana bakona kuina ni kuituta.
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 zataba ye yasibaka sesinca hape niyakuya kwasikolo. Haiba kuli kiniti zenebabulela bo malumahe kuli kisitimbi, hakoni kuituta sesimwi ukaeza cwani? Cwale haiba kuli bayomunata ko kwasibaka sesinca? Na sabile, nikunahana ali “mwendi kikokunde feela kuli niikinele mwa mikwakwa.”
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.
Aikabela sabo yahae ni Thomas yo yanamusepisize hang’atang’ata kuli bupilo bwahae bwakona kucinca kwasibaka 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 fo, Magozwe atutela mwandu mo yasituwa sesitala. Nalobalanga nibalikani bahae bababeli. Hamoho banana benebapila mwandu mo neli balishumi. Kwanda bao, nekunani bo Cissy ni bomuuna abona, linja zetalu, kaze ni puli yakale.
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 afumana butata. Natokwa kuziba lika zeng’ata kuli azamayelele hamoho nibalikani bahae mwasikolo. Nako yemwi naikutwa kuli atuhele kono akala kuhupula zamakande anafumani mwatubuka twahae amufufisi wa fulai 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 mwalapa kwandu yeo yasituwa sa mubala wobutala inge abala kabuka kamakande kanekazwa kwasikolo. Thomas ataha kutoina kwatuko niyena. “Likande liambola zang’i?” Thomas abuza. “Likande liambola za mushimani yanabile muluti,” Magozwe alaba. “Cwale libizo la mucaha yo kimang’i?” Thomas abuza. “Libizo lahae 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.
