Uyu ndi Khalai. Ali ndi zaka zisanu ndi ziwili. Dzina lake litanthauza kuti “wabwino” mucilankhulo cake, Lubukusu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Khalai amauka ndiku lankhula ku mtengo wa malalanje. “Conde mtengo wamalalanje, kula msinkhu ndipo utipatse malalanje ambili akupsya.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Khali apita ku sukulu. Pa njila, alankhula ku msipu. “Conde msipu, khalani obiliwila ndipo musaume.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai apita pa maluwa amthengo. “Conde, maluwa, pitilizani kukula kuti ndikuikeni mu tsitsi langa.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Ku sukulu, Khalai alankhula ku mtengo pakati pa sukulu. “Conde mtengo, khalani ndi nthambi zikulu kuti tiziwelengela pansi pa mtengo.
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 alankhula ku maluwa ozungulila sukulu. “Conde, kulani olimba ndiponso letsani anthu oipa kulowa.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Pamene Khalai abwelela kunyumba kucokela kusukulu, ayendela mtengo wa malalanje. “Kodi malalanje ako apsya kale?” Afunsa Khalai.
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
Malalanje akalibe kupya,” anena Khalai. “Ndizakuonanso mailo mtengo wa malalanje,” analankhula Khalai “Mwina, uzandikhalila ndi lalanje lakupya!”
“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!”
