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Matokwero
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Ruthgela Shawanga
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Mukunda wange wa karire no maghukukutu gho mengi. Nga tukaranga mumuyira ghoghure tuvete meyu kupomba.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Nga tutatereranga yidya eyi hana tupa hamweya.
We waited for food donated by others.
Nga tukutjaperanga wangu pamurandu gho haka widhi.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Hanuke hohengi hashwayire mushure.
Many children dropped out of school.
Hakamadighana nga gha rughananga mumayimbo mumikunda dhimweya.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Hakafumughana nga ha rendarendanga mumukunda no hamwe haruwanine kumafarama.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Apa wa pungire mupepo, yipepa ya tukere kuyitundo no kundarata.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Hanu nga haremananga kumakende gho kupayuka agha hamwayire hanu kehemu hakukuyuvera.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Diyuwa dimweya, pomba gha shayekire kupita meyu no gha kukutire. Mandini ghetu gha karire mukunguru.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Tate ghayendire tunda dimbo yenda dimbo ghatongwere hanu hakuyende kuthigongi.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Hanu ha hungumanine muthitondo thothikuru no haterere.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Tate ghemanine no kughamba, “Twa nyanda kuruwana pofotji mukukoshonona maghukukutu ghetu.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma gho myaka kwokohatu, oyu gha hungumanine kuthitondo gha kugherire, “Kukona nighamwene kukenitha.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Mbuyama ghofotji gha ghambire, “Hambuyama kukona tukupakerere tu kune yidya.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Katughuru ghumwe ghemanine no kughamba, “Hatutughuru ṅanyi ha kuthime dithima.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Twaheya twa kuyere no diywi dyofotji, “Twakona kutjindja ghukaro wetu.” Kutunda diyuwa di twa ruwanine pofotji mu kukoshonona maghukukutu ghetu.
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: Ruthgela Shawanga
Thimbukushu
Level 2
