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Die Besluit
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Willemien Wannberg
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My dorpie het baie probleme gehad. Ons het in ‘n lang ry gestaan om van een kraan af water te kry.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Ons het gewag vir ander om kos te skenk.
We waited for food donated by others.
Ons het vroeg reeds ons huise gesluit teen diewe.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
‘n Klomp kinders het die skool vroeg verlaat.
Many children dropped out of school.
Jong meisies het as huishulpe in ander dorpies gewerk.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Jong seuns het in die dorpie rondgeloop terwyl ander op plase gaan werk het.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Wanneer die wind gewaai het, het afvalpapier aan die bome en heinings gehang.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Mense is deur glas wat onverskillig neergegooi is, gesny.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Eendag, het die kraan leeg geloop en ons houers was leeg.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
My pa het van huis tot huis geloop om mense na ‘n dorpsvergadering toe te nooi.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Die mense het onder ‘n groot boom bymekaargekom en geluister.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
My pa het opgestaan en gesê: “Ons moet saamwerk om ons probleme op te los”.
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Die agt-jarige Juma het op ‘n boomstomp gesit en geskree: “Ek kan help om op te ruim.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
‘n Vrou het gesê: “Die vrouens kan my help om groente te kweek vir kos.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
‘n Ander man het opgestaan en gesê: “Die mans kan ‘n put grawe.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Ons almal het saam geskree: “Ons moet ons lewens verander.” Van daardie dag af het ons almal saamgewerk om ons probleme op te los.
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: Willemien Wannberg
