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Desizyon
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
ACE Haiti-University of Notre Dame USA
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Kominote kote’m rete an gen anpil pwoblèm … Nou blije kanpe nan yon liy byen long pou nou pran dlo nan yon grenn tiyo.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Se lòt moun ki bannou manje.
We waited for food donated by others.
Nou fèmen kay nou bonè paske nou pè vòlè.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Anpil timoun kite lekòl.
Many children dropped out of school.
Ti jèn fi yo ap travay kòm sèvant nan lòt kominote.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Ti gason yo ap flannen nan kominote a pandan ke lòt ap travay nan jaden moun.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Lè gen van, papye fatra al koke sou pyebwa ak nan lantiraj yo.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Moun te konn blese ak vè kase ke lòt moun jete atè a.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Enpi yon jou tiyo an pat gen dlo ladan’l ankò. Tout bokit te vid.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Papa’m deside ale kay chak moun pou’l mande yo vini nan reyinyon kap òganize nan kominote a.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Moun yo chita anba yon gwo pyebwa pou yo koute sa kap di.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Papa’m kanpe pou li di “Nou bezwen mete tèt nou ansanm pou nou jwenn solisyon nan pwoblèm nou yo.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Jima, yon ti gason wit lane ki te chita sou yon branch pyebwa di “Mwen kapab ede nan netwaye.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Yon fi leve pou’l di “Fi yo kapab ede nan fè jaden.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Yon gason leve pou’l di: “Gason yo kapab fouye yon pwi.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Nou tout di nan menm moman an “Nou dwe chanje lavi nou.” Depi jou sa a nou mete tèt nou ansanm pou nou jwenn solisyon nan pwoblèm nou yo.
We all shouted with one voice, “We must change our lives.”
From that day we worked together to solve our problems.
Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Vusi Malindi
Translated by: ACE Haiti-University of Notre Dame USA
