Ogu yige Khalai. Nomvhura dedi ntambali.Edina lyendi kutanta asi’ gomuwa’ meraka lyawo lyoru Lubukusu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Khalai ana pinduka kuna kuuyungisa sitji somaguni.”Nakanderere sitji somaguni kura yipo ngo tu pe maguni gomanzi gokupya”.
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai kwa kugenda aze kosure.Monzira zendi ta uyungisa wayi.”Nakandere wayi kura sinamahako waha kukuta”.
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai ta piti ponombya domowiza.”Nakandere nombya, temuneni ngorooro yipo ni mu ture monohuki dange”.
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Posure, Khalai ta uyunga nositji sopokatji keharango lyosure.”Nakandere sitji kara nonomutayi dononene yipo nga tu resere monda zomundwire goge.”
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 uyungisa rugumbo rwakundurukida sure, “Nakanderere kara nononkodo dokukondera vantu wovadona va ha hwilira monda zo sure.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Apa ga tengwire Khalai kembo a tunde kosure, ta dingura sitji soma guni.”Maguni goge gana pi nare ndi?” yimo ga pulire Khalai.
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
“Maguni simpe mavihu, “yimo ga ga mwene Khalai.” Ngatu limona mungura sitji somaguni,” yimo ga uyungire Khalai.”Nampo ngani ya gwana ko eguni lyokupya!”
“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!”
