Nguka oKhalai. Oku na oomvula heyali. Edhina lye otali ti “ngoka omwaanawa” melaka lye lyOshimbukushu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Khalai okwa penduka e ta popitha omuti gwomalemune. “Alikana, muti ngoye gwomalemune koka e to tu pe omalemune ogendji ga pya nawa.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai okwa yi kosikola. Mondjila okwa popitha omwiidhi. “Oomwiidhi ne alikana kaleni mwa ziza nawa no inamu ganya nando.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai okwa ende poongala dhokelundu. “Oongala ne kaleni aluhe mwa sheneka opo ndi mu tule momafufu gandje.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Posikola Khalai okwa popitha omuti gu li mehalandjandja. “Muti ngoye iitayi yoye yi andjaganeka, opo tu wape okulesha tu li momuzile gwoye.”
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 popi nuumeno mboka wa ninga po olugumbo lwosikola. “Kokeni mwa thita nawa opo aantu aawinayi yaa vule okuthawa nokuya meni mosikola.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Khalai sho a shuna kegumbo, okwa yi komuti gwomalemune nokwa pula, “Ano omalemune goye inaga pya natango?”
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
“Omalemune natango omagongwa,” Khalai osho a keme. “Otandi galuka ishewe ongula. “Khalai osho a lombwele omuti. “Ngiika otandi adha wu nine ndje elemune lya pya!”
“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!”
