This is Khalai.
O ke Molemo. O
dingwaga di le supa. O
molemo go tshwana le
leina la gagwe.
This is Khalai.
She is seven years old.
Her name means ‘the
good one’ in her
language, Lubukusu.
Molemo fa a tsoga o
bua le setlhare sa
dinamune. “Ka kopo
setlhare sa dinamune,
gola o gogobe mme o
re fe dinamune tse di
monate.”
Khalai wakes up and
talks to the orange tree.
“Please orange tree,
grow big and give us
lots of ripe oranges.”
Molemo o ya sekolong.
Mo tseleng o bua le
bojang. “Ka kopo
bojang, nna talana
mme o se omelele.”
Khalai walks to school.
On the way she talks to
the grass. “Please
grass, grow greener
and don’t dry up.”
Molemo o feta
ditšheshe tsa naga. “Ka
kopo ditšheshe ,
tswelela go ntlafala
gore ke kgabise moriri
wa me ka wena.”
Khalai passes wild
flowers. “Please
flowers, keep blooming
so I can put you in my
hair.”
Kwa sekolong, Molemo
o bua le setlhare se se
mo gare ga tshimo ya
sekolo. “Ka kopo
setlhare, mela dikala
tse dikgolo gore re
kgone go balela mo
tlase ga moriti wa
gago.”
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.”
Molemo o bua le
ditlhare tse di potapotileng legora la
sekolo. “Ka kopo gola o
tie, o thibele disenyi go
tsena mo.”
Khalai talks to the
hedge around her school.
“Please grow strong
and stop bad people
from coming in.”
Fa Molemo a fitlha kwa
gae o ile a tswelela go
bua le setlhare sa
dinamune.”A dinamune
tsa gago ga ise di
butswe?”
When Khalai returns
home from school, she
visits the orange tree.
“Are your oranges ripe
yet?” asks Khalai.
Molemo o ne a bua ka
go swaba a re,
“dinamune ga ise di
butswe. Ke tla go bona
kamoso setlhare sa
dinamune.” “ Ka
gongwe o tla be o
ntiretse namune e e
butswileng!”
“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!”
