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Kufuukula
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
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Pa muzhi petu panjinga makatazho avula. Twa ikalanga mu munongo walepa paku tapula meema kufuma ku pompi umo wa mushima.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Twa pembejilenga byakuja kufuma kubantu bangi.
We waited for food donated by others.
Twashinkilenga binzhilo byetu bukiji na mambo aba ngivi.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Bana bavula balekele ma sukulu.
Many children dropped out of school.
Bana babakazhi batwelele makito mumizhi ikyabo
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Bana babalume bapitang’enengatu mumizhi kabiji ne bakwabo baingijilenga muma jimi abantu bangi.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Ingekuji kimwela kyaiya, ndochi yayilenga kubichi neku bivimba.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Bantu bekozhezhenga kuma botolo ya lajikile yoba tailenga kitaye taye.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Juba jimo, pompi wa ku mushima waumine ne mema muma botolo apwile.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Batata bapitang’ene mumazubo nakubula bantu amba beye na kubung’ana pamo.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Bantu basambakene pamo munshi yakichi kikatampe na kunvwina.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Batata baimene nakwamba,” Twafwaina kunvwang’ana pakwamba tupwishe makatazyo yonse yotuji nawo muno mu muizhi.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma mwana wa myaka itanu neisatu, waikajile pa musampi wakichi wabijikile,” Nakonsha kwimukwasha kuwamya.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Mwanamukazhi umo waambile amba,” ateba babakazhi tusakabyala byakuja”.
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Wamulume waimene nekwamba amba ,”Babalume basakupoya mushima.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Bonse babijikile najiwi jimo,”Twalinga kukingya ngikajilo yetu.” Kufumato ajojuba bonse baing’ijile pamo nakupwisha makatazho amumuzhi.
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: Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
