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Kujina
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Masho Kaloza
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Limbo lyami lyapwile namawukalu. twapangile mulayini wawusuku hakuswita meya kumupompi.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Twahandaminyine vyakulya vyawana vahanyine vakwetu.
We waited for food donated by others.
Twasokele mazuvo etu washi momo yaveji.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Vanyike vavavulu vechele shikola
Many children dropped out of school.
Vanyike vamapwevo vazachile nge ndungo kumenbo.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Vana vamalunga kavapwile nakwakutwama kaha cheka vakwavo vazichile muwande wavatu.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Omu peho yapekumwine, mapepa asukukikile hamitondo naha lilapa.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Vatu vavavatwile nama lolo akupazuka vambilile halihosena.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Shikaho likumbi limwe, mupopi womine kaha vindundu vyomine.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Tata yami endele kufuma kuzuvo nakuya kuzuvo nakulomba vatu mangana vapwengako kuchikungulilo.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Vatu vilikungulile mwishi yamutondo na kwivwilila.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Tata yami emanyine nakuhanjika, “twatela tuzachile hamwe mangana tuhase kolola mawukalu etu.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma wa myaka yitanu nayitatu, natwame halungowa nakutambakana, “ngunahase kukafwa nakukomba.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Pwevo wumwe ahanjikile, “mapwevo vanahase kungununga nakulima vyakulya.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Lunga mukwavo emanyine nakuhanjika, “malunga navafula lishima.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Vose twatambakanyine nalizu limwe, “twatela kuchinja chiyoyelo chetu.”kufuma lize likumbi twazachile hamwe nakuwana jila jamawukalu etu.
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: Masho Kaloza
