Oyu ngu Khalai. Ujisi myaka yakuzyalwa iili ciloba. Izyina lyakwe lipandulula kuti “mubotu” mucisyobo cakwe ca Lubukusu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Khalai ulabuka akwaambaula kucisamu camafwuleenke. “Ndakukomba ocisamu camafwuleenke, kokomena ukatupe mafwuleenke manji aabizwide.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai uleenda kuya kucikolo. Munzila, Khalai ulaambaula abwizu. “Ndakukomba obwizu, kokomena ukabe aamubala wanyanzabili akutayuma.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai wainda amaluba amusyokwe. “Ndakomba nomaluba, kamutolelela kukomena kutegwa kandimubikka mumasusu aangu.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Kucikolo, Khalai ulaambaula acisamu cili akati kalubuwa lwacikolo. “Ndakukomba ocisamu, kokomena akubikka mitabi minji kutegwa katubala mucimvwule cako.”
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 ulaambaula kulukwakwa lwacikolo lya hisamu. “Ndakomba, amukomene akulesya bantu babi kunjila mukati.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Apiluka kuzwa kucikolo, Khalai ulaunka kucisamu camafwuleenke. “Sena mafwuleenke akabizwa kale?” wabuzya Khalai.
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
“Mafwuleenke taaninga bizwa.” waamba Khalai. “Ndiyakuboola kukubona juunza ocisamu camafwuleenke “. Waamba Khalai. “Ndiza kuya kujanika lyomwe libizwide!.”
“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!”
