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Matokoro
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Anna Sengumbe
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Mukunda gwange Kuna kara nomaudigu gomanzi.ose kukara momukweyo gomure tu vhete mema kopomba zimwe tupu.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Ose Kwa ndindilire nondya edi va gavere vantu peke.
We waited for food donated by others.
Ose Kwa patere mambo getu, morwa vawidi.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Vanona wovanzi Kwa tundire Mosure.
Many children dropped out of school.
Vakadona gona Kwa kere varugani monomukunda peke.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Vamatigona ngava gendagura momukunda, siruwo oso vakwaawo awo Kuna kurugana konofarama dovantu.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Apa za pepere mpepo, yipepa yokuzonauka tayi kakatre koyitji nokondarate.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Vantu Kwa va tetagwire makende ogo va zugumangere.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Ezuval limwe kopomba kapi Kwa kere mema ntani moyipako namo si mwato.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Otate Kwa gendagwire tunda embo zende embo va tantere vantu va ka kare posigongi somukunda.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Vantu kwa pongere mositji sosinene va purakene.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Otate Kwa sikeme, “Noku Tanta asi twa hepa kurugana kumwe yipo tu guse po udigu.
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Mukurupe gonomvhura norontantatu Juma Kwa hingilire komutayi gositji noku zigira, “Asi kuvhura ni mu vatere mokuzeresa.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Mukadi gumwe, kwa uyungire ngesi, “kuvhura mu ya kwafe nge mokukuna mbuto.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Mugara gumwe Kwa sikeme, Noku tanta asi vagara nava sima etope.
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Natuvenye Kwa zigilire nezwi limwe, “Twa hepa kutjindja maparu getu kutunda ezuva eli twa hepa kurugana kumwe yipo tu guse po maudigu getu.
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: Anna Sengumbe
