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Tani waa Kalaay. Waxay jirtaa toddoba sano. Magaceeda macnihiisa waa “midda wanaagsan” luqaddeeda, Lubukusu.
This is Khalai.
She is seven years old.
Her name means ‘the
good one’ in her
language, Lubukusu.
Khalai ni msichana mwenye umri wa miaka saba. Jina lake lina maana ya ‘aliye mzuri’ katika lugha yake ya Lubukusu.
Kalaay way soo toostaa waxeyna lahadashaa geedka liinta ah. “Fadlan geedka liinta ahoow, weynoow oo na sii liin badan oo bissil.”
Khalai wakes up and
talks to the orange tree.
“Please orange tree,
grow big and give us
lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai anaamka na kuongea na mmea mchanga wa Mchungwa, “Tafadhali mti wa Mchungwa, kua mkubwa uzae machungwa mengi mabivu.”
Kalaay waxay aadaa dugsiga. Jidka waxay kula hadashaa cawska. “Fadlan caws, weynoow cagaaro oo ha qallalin.”
Khalai walks to school.
On the way she talks to
the grass. “Please
grass, grow greener
and don’t dry up.”
Khalai anaenda shuleni na njiani anaongea na Nyasi, “Tafadhali Nyasi, kua kijani zaidi na zaidi na wala usikauke.”
Kalaay waxay soo martaa ubaxyo duureed. “Fadlan ubaxyo, sii magoola, si aan timaheyga idiin saarto.”
Khalai passes wild
flowers. “Please
flowers, keep blooming
so I can put you in my
hair.”
Khalai anayapita Maua ya mwituni na kusema, “Tafadhali Maua, endelea kunawiri ili niweze kukuweka kwenye nywele zangu.”
Iskuulka, Kalaay waxay la hadashaa geedka dhexda xerada ku yaallo. “Fadlan geed, so saar laamo waaweyn si aan ugu akhrisano hooskaada.”
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.”
Akiwa shuleni, Khalai anazunguumza na Mti ulioko katikati ya shule, “Tafadhali Mti, toa matawi makubwa ili tusome chini ya kivuli chako.”
Kalaay waxay la hadashaa bowdka ku wareegsan dugsigeeda. “Fadlan u kora si awoodleh oo joojiya soogallida dadka xun.”
Khalai talks to the
hedge around her school.
“Please grow strong
and stop bad people
from coming in.”
Khalai anazunguumza na ua unaoizingira shule yake, “Tafadhali ua, kuwa mwenye nguvu ili uzuie shule yetu kutokana na watu wabaya.”
Markay Kalaay guriga ku laabato, waxay booqataa geedka liinta.” Miyay bislaadeen midhahaada wali?” Ayey weydisaa Khalaay.
When Khalai returns
home from school, she
visits the orange tree.
“Are your oranges ripe
yet?” asks Khalai.
Anaporudi nyumbani alasiri, Khalai anautembelea mti wa Mchungwa kuangalia kama machungwa yameiva.
“Liinta weli waa cagaar,” ayay ku neef tuurtay Kalaay “Waxaan ku arki doonaa berrito geedka liintaw,” ayay tidhi Khalaay. “Malaha markaas baad ii yeelan doonto midho liin ah oo bislaaday!”
“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!”
“Machungwa bado mabichi,” Khalai anashusha pumzi. “Nitakuona kesho, we mti wa machungwa. Labda utanipa chungwa bivu wakati huo.”
Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Jesse Pietersen
Translated by: Abdi Muse
Read by: Ibrahim Ahmed
