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Kujina
Decision
Ukusalapo
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Masho Kaloza
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Limbo lyami lyapwile namawukalu. twapangile mulayini wawusuku hakuswita meya kumupompi.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Mu mushi wandi mwali amafya ayengi. Twalitantame umulongo pakuti twingatapa ameenshi kuli pompi umo.
Twahandaminyine vyakulya vyawana vahanyine vakwetu.
We waited for food donated by others.
Twaleeloleela ifyakulya ifyakupeelwa ukufuma ku bantu bambi.
Twasokele mazuvo etu washi momo yaveji.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Twaleekoma amayanda yesu bwangu pa mulandu wa bapuupu.
Vanyike vavavulu vechele shikola
Many children dropped out of school.
Abaana abengi balilekele isukulu.
Vanyike vamapwevo vazachile nge ndungo kumenbo.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Utukashana twaleebomba incito ya kuwamya mu mayanda mu mishi imbi.
Vana vamalunga kavapwile nakwakutwama kaha cheka vakwavo vazichile muwande wavatu.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Utulumenda twaleyangala mu mushi ninshi bambi baleebombela mu mabala.
Omu peho yapekumwine, mapepa asukukikile hamitondo naha lilapa.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Umwela nga wapuupa, ifipepala bapoosa fyalesama ku miti na ku malinga.
Vatu vavavatwile nama lolo akupazuka vambilile halihosena.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Abantu baleicena ku mabotolo ayatobeka ayaleeposwa iciposweposwe.
Shikaho likumbi limwe, mupopi womine kaha vindundu vyomine.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Ubushiku bumo, ameenshi yapwa kupompi ne fipe fyesu tafyakwete ameenshi.
Tata yami endele kufuma kuzuvo nakuya kuzuvo nakulomba vatu mangana vapwengako kuchikungulilo.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Bataata baile cila ŋanda mukuwita abantu ukwisasangwa ku cilye ca mushi.
Vatu vilikungulile mwishi yamutondo na kwivwilila.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Abantu baishileikala mwisamba lya muti no kukutika.
Tata yami emanyine nakuhanjika, “twatela tuzachile hamwe mangana tuhase kolola mawukalu etu.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Bataata epakwima abati, “Tufwile ukubombela pamo pakuti tupwishe amafya yesu.”
Juma wa myaka yitanu nayitatu, natwame halungowa nakutambakana, “ngunahase kukafwa nakukomba.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Umwana wamyaka cine-konse-konse uweshina lya Juma, uwaikele pa mulando abilikisha ati, “Kuti nabombako umulimo wa kuwamya.”
Pwevo wumwe ahanjikile, “mapwevo vanahase kungununga nakulima vyakulya.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Namaayo umo ati, “Banamaayo kuti twabombela pamo ukulima ifyakulya.”
Lunga mukwavo emanyine nakuhanjika, “malunga navafula lishima.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Shitaata umbi aiminina ati, “Bashitaata bakemba icishima.”
Vose twatambakanyine nalizu limwe, “twatela kuchinja chiyoyelo chetu.”kufuma lize likumbi twazachile hamwe nakuwana jila jamawukalu etu.
We all shouted with one voice, “We must change our lives.”
From that day we worked together to solve our problems.
Bonse twapundila pamo atuti, “Tufwile ukwalula imikalile yesu.” Ukufuma bulya bushiku twabombele pamo mukupwisha amafya yesu.
Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Vusi Malindi
Translated by: Masho Kaloza
