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Kijiji changu kilikuwa na matatizo mengi. Tulipanga foleni ndefu tukisubiri kuchota maji kutoka mfereji mmoja.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Tulisubiri kupokea msaada wa chakula.
We waited for food donated by others.
Tulifunga nyumba zetu mapema kwasababu ya wizi.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Watoto wengi waliacha shule.
Many children dropped out of school.
Wasichana wadogo walifanya kazi za nyumbani kwenye vijiji vingine.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Wavulana wadogo waliranda randa kijijini na wengine walifanya kazi kwenye mashamba ya watu.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Upepo ulipovuma, ulipeperusha karatasi chafu na kuzifikisha mitini na uani.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Watu walikatwa na vipande vya chupa vilivyotupwa ovyo ovyo.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Halafu siku moja, mfereji wa maji ulikauka na mitungi yetu ikawa mitupu.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Baba yangu alitembea nyumba hadi nyumba akiwaomba watu kuhudhuria mkutano wa kijiji.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Watu walikusanyika chini ya mti mkubwa na kusikiliza.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Baba yangu alisimama na kusema, “Tunahitaji kusaidiana kutatua matatizo yetu.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma, mtoto wa miaka minane aliyekuwa amekaa kwenye tawi la mti, alisema kwa sauti, “Naweza kusaidia na usafi.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Mwanamke mmoja alisema, “Sisi wanawake tunaweza kuungana na kulima.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Mwanamume mwingine alisimama na kusema, “Wanaume watachimba kisima cha maji.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Sote tulisema kwa sauti moja, “Lazima tubadilishe maisha yetu.” Tangu siku hiyo, tulifanya kazi pamoja kutatua shida zetu.
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: Ursula Nafula
Read by: Lauwo George
