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Kuzhina
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Oscar Zangata
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Chitung’ilu chami chading’a namakabi nankashi. Twading’a munyizela yayilehi nakutaha menzhi ku payipi yimu.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Twadin’ga nakuhembela kutuholesha yakuda kudi antu acheng’i.
We waited for food donated by others.
Twading’a nakwenzela yinsu swayi mulon’ga wamakombi.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Anyana amavula alekeli shikola.
Many children dropped out of school.
Anyana awambanda azatilengà undungú munyikala yikwawu.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Atwansi amayala adingá nakuhitangàna mumukala akwawu adingá nakuzata hazhi famu.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Neyi kunahiti mpepela, mapepa amazhilu edin’ga nakulamata hanyitondu nahamalapa.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Antu edi’ga nukuditapa namagilasi anatiliwu chatama.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Ifuku dimu, mupayipi wamenzhi womini kaha nawa zhinswaha zhetu zhedin’ga zhakadi menji.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Tata yami wahitilimu hetala hetala kulezha antu kulonda enzi kwibumba dayihosha.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Antu adikunwilili mwishina da mutondu wauneni nakutiyilila.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Tata yami wemeni nakuhosha nindi, “Twatela kuzatila hamu kulonda tumanishi kukala chetu tudi nachu.
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma wayaaka yitanu nayisatu, washakamini hamutayi wamutondu nakupidika nindi,”Nikuyikwashaku kukombozhola.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Mama wumu wahosheli nindi,”Akamama akunkwashako kutumba yakudya.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Iyila wumu wemeni nakuhosha nindi,”Amayala akwimba ishima.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Twezhima wetu twabidikili nezu dimu netu,”Twatela kuhimpa kashakaminu ketu.” Kufuma ifuku denadina, twazatilen’ga hamu nakumanisha kukala chetu.”
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: Oscar Zangata
