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Mukunda wetu kwa kalire namaudito ghamangi. Atu kuyara mumuyaro waure mposhi tuvhete mema kupomba yimwe.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Atu taterere ndya odo vatapire vantu.
We waited for food donated by others.
Atu pata ndjugho detu muruvindwira mukonda yavanawidi.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Vanuke vavangi ava tundu mushure.
Many children dropped out of school.
Vanuke vavakadona ava kara varughani vamumandi mudimukunda.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Vanuke vavamati kava yendauranga mudimukunda okuno vamwe ava kara varughani vamufarama davantu.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Pakupepa mpepo, vipepa vyakudira mulyo kuhaka kuvitondo nakundarate.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Vantu kwava kekire makende ogho vavhukumine vantu vavo nashinka shi.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Liyuva limwe, pomba ayi pata makura vibuku vyetu avi kara muporongwa.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Vavava ava yendaura tunda mundi yenda mundi va renke vantu vaka kare pashigongi shamumukunda.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Vantu ava kaponga munda yashitondo shashinene kumwe nakuvategherera.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Vavava ava shapuka kumwe nakughamba ashi, “Tuna hepa kuruwanena kumwe mposhi tukoshonone po maudito ghetu.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma wamwaka ntantatu, okuno ghuye ana shungiri pamutavi washitondo a yiyiri ashi, “Ame kuvhura kuvatera nalikenito.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Mukamali umwe aghamba ashi, “Vakamali kuvhura kukupakerera kumwe name tukune mbuto dandya.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Mukafumu umwe ashapuka nakughamba ashi,” Vakafumu ngava tima litope.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Natuvantje atu yiyiri naliywi limwe, “Tuna kona kutjindja maparu ghetu.” Kutunda liyuva linya atwe katu rughanenanga kumwe tukoshonone maudito ghetu.
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: Erwina N Kanyenge
