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Ukusalapo
Uamuzi
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Sandra Mulesu
The audio for this story is currently not available.
Mu mushi wandi mwali amafya ayengi. Twalitantame umulongo pakuti twingatapa ameenshi kuli pompi umo.
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.
Twaleeloleela ifyakulya ifyakupeelwa ukufuma ku bantu bambi.
Tulisubiri kupokea msaada wa chakula.
We waited for food donated by others.
Twaleekoma amayanda yesu bwangu pa mulandu wa bapuupu.
Tulifunga nyumba zetu mapema kwasababu ya wizi.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Abaana abengi balilekele isukulu.
Watoto wengi waliacha shule.
Many children dropped out of school.
Utukashana twaleebomba incito ya kuwamya mu mayanda mu mishi imbi.
Wasichana wadogo walifanya kazi za nyumbani kwenye vijiji vingine.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Utulumenda twaleyangala mu mushi ninshi bambi baleebombela mu mabala.
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.
Umwela nga wapuupa, ifipepala bapoosa fyalesama ku miti na ku malinga.
Upepo ulipovuma, ulipeperusha karatasi chafu na kuzifikisha mitini na uani.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Abantu baleicena ku mabotolo ayatobeka ayaleeposwa iciposweposwe.
Watu walikatwa na vipande vya chupa vilivyotupwa ovyo ovyo.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Ubushiku bumo, ameenshi yapwa kupompi ne fipe fyesu tafyakwete ameenshi.
Halafu siku moja, mfereji wa maji ulikauka na mitungi yetu ikawa mitupu.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Bataata baile cila ŋanda mukuwita abantu ukwisasangwa ku cilye ca mushi.
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.
Abantu baishileikala mwisamba lya muti no kukutika.
Watu walikusanyika chini ya mti mkubwa na kusikiliza.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Bataata epakwima abati, “Tufwile ukubombela pamo pakuti tupwishe amafya yesu.”
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.”
Umwana wamyaka cine-konse-konse uweshina lya Juma, uwaikele pa mulando abilikisha ati, “Kuti nabombako umulimo wa kuwamya.”
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.”
Namaayo umo ati, “Banamaayo kuti twabombela pamo ukulima ifyakulya.”
Mwanamke mmoja alisema, “Sisi wanawake tunaweza kuungana na kulima.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Shitaata umbi aiminina ati, “Bashitaata bakemba icishima.”
Mwanamume mwingine alisimama na kusema, “Wanaume watachimba kisima cha maji.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Bonse twapundila pamo atuti, “Tufwile ukwalula imikalile yesu.” Ukufuma bulya bushiku twabombele pamo mukupwisha amafya yesu.
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: Sandra Mulesu
