Ou oKhalai. Ye oku na eedula heyali. Edina laye ota li ti omuwa melaka laye Lubukushu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Khalai okwa penduka ndele ta popi nomuti womulemuna. “Alikana, muti ove womulemuna, kula u ninge omuti munene, ndele to tu pe oiimati yomalemuna ihapu ya pya nawa.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai okwa ya kofikola. Mondjila okwa popifa eemwiidi. “Eemwiidi nye, alikana kuleni mwa hapa nawa, ndele inamu kukuta nande.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai okwa pita peengala dokelundu. “Eengala onye shenekeni opo ndi shiive ndi mu tule meexwiki dange.
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Pofikola, Khalai ota popi nomuti u li pokati kehalandjadja loluumbo lofikola. “Muti ove, oitai yoye nai kule i andjakane, opo tu shiive tu leshele mo momudile waye.”
At school, Khalai talks to the tree in the middle of the compound. “Please tree, put out big branches so we can read under your shade.”
Khalai ta popi noumeno va dingonoka oluumbo lofikola. “Kuleni mwa fita nawa, opo mu kelele ovalongi vominyonena vaha pume noku ya meni lofikola.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Khalai eshi a alukila keumbo, konima yokudja kofikola, okwa ya komuti womulemune nokwa pula, “Hano omalemune oye inaa pya natango?”
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
“Omalemune natango omangongwa” Khalai osho a keme. “Ohandi aluka vali mongula.” Khalai osho a lombwele omuti. Kashiimba ohandi ka hanga u nine nge omalemuna a pya nawa!
“The oranges are still green,” sighs Khalai. “I will see you tomorrow orange tree,” says Khalai. “Perhaps then you will have a ripe orange for me!”
