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Kusala
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Chester Mwanza
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Munzi wangu wakajisi mapenzi manji. Meenda akali kukatazya kapati. Twakali kwiima milongo kutegwa tuteke meenda apompi yomwe.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Twakali kulindila zyakulya zyacivwole-vwole kuzwa kubantu bambi.
We waited for food donated by others.
Maanda akali kujalwa cakufwambaana akaambo kabantu babba.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Bana banji bakaleka cikolo.
Many children dropped out of school.
Bana basimbi bakali kubeleka mumaanda abantu bambi.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Bana basankwa bakali kuzinguluka biyo mumunzi, bamwi bakali kubelekela mali mumyuunda yabalimi.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Imuwo waunga, izyipepa zyakali kwaangila muzyisamu alimwi a lukwakwa
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Bantu bakali kuyaswa amabbodela akapwaikide akaambo kakutazyisowa bweelede.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Bumwi buzuba, meenda akaleka kuzwa. Zyipeelo zyesu zyakanyina meenda.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Bataata bakeenda mumaanda oonse kwaambila bantu kuti bakasike kumuswangano.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Bantu bakaswaangana munsi acisamu cipati akuswiilila.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Bataata bakaimikila akwaamba kuti, “Tweelede kubelekela antoomwe kutegwa tumane mapenzi aaya.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma, imwana wamyaka ili lusele wakapozomoka kuti, “Inga ndagwasya kucibeela cakugusya dooti.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Umwi mukaintu wakati, “Bamakaintu inga bandisangana mukusyanga zyakulya.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Mwaalumi umwi wakaimikila akuti “Bamaalumi balasya mugodi wameenda.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Twakoompolola toonse mujwi lyomwe, “Tweelede kucinca buumi bwesu.” Kuzwa buzuba oobo, twakatalika kubelekela antoomwe akujana nzila yakumana mapenzi eesu.
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: Chester Mwanza
