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Muhato
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana
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Munzi wa luna neunani matata amang’atang’ata. Nelupanganga mukoloko ulimumu womutelele wakuka mezi kwa pompi.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Nelulibelenga lico ze filwe ki babamu.
We waited for food donated by others.
Nelukiyanga minyako ya mandu aluna kamaubebe kabaka la masholi.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Bana babang’ata baitulela sikolo.
Many children dropped out of school.
Basizani babanyinyani nebabeleka musebezi wa mwa malapa mwa minzi yemimu.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Bashimani babanyinyani neba yembana mwahae babamu nebabelekanga mwa masimu abatu.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Moya aneufukanga, mapepa asinatuso nalulanga kwa likota ni fa malapa.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Batu neba sehiwa ki mabotela a pwacehile anayumbilwe kusina tokomelo.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Cwale zazi leling’wi, pompi yaoma mi lipupe zaluna nelili mukungulu.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Bo ndate baya lapa ni lapa kukupa batu kuli batahe kwa mukopano.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Batu bakopana mwa tasi a kota yetuna mi bateleza.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Bo ndate bayema mi bali, “luswanehela kubeleka hamoho kufeza matata aluna.
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma wa lilimo ze keta lizoho ka ze talu, yanainzi fa sishingwa ahuwa, “nakona kutusa kwa kukenisa”.
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Musali alimumu ali, “basali bakona kukopana nina kwa kucala lico.
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Muuna yomumu ayema mi ali, “banna bakayepa lisima.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Seluhuwa ka linzwi lilin’gwi kaufela luli; “luswanela kucinca bupilo bwaluna.” Kuzwa zazi leo, nelubelekanga hamoho kufeza matata aluna.
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: Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana
SiLozi (Zambia)
Level 2
