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Ongula yefiku keshe Hilifa oha penduka diva opo a ka longekidile ina ombelekeshwa. Ina okwa kala efimbo lile ta vele na Hilifa okwe lihonga nghene e na okufila ina oshisho naye mwene. Hilifa okwa kala ha ningile ina otee molwaashi iha dulu vali okupenduka. Omafimbo amwe ina okwa kala a nghundipala unene ita dulu nokupenduka, Hilifa oha penduka nokutema omundilo, ta fulukifa omeya, opo a ningile ina otee. Oha twaalele ina otee, ndele te mu telekele okatete kombelekesha. Omafimbo amwe ina oha kala ehe na eenghono ita dulu nokulya oikulya ei. Hilifa okwa kala a limbililwa konghalo yaina. Xe okwa fya nale konima yeedula mbali, ndele paife ina oye vali ou ta vele ngaha. Ina okwa li a utama unene, ngaashi naana xe a li pefimbo kwa li ta vele.
Every morning Hilifa woke up early to prepare breakfast for his mother. She had been sick a lot recently and Hilifa was learning how to look after his mother and himself. When his mother was too ill to get up he would make a fire to boil water to make tea. He would take tea to his mother and prepare porridge for breakfast. Sometimes his mother was too weak to eat it. Hilifa worried about his mother. His father had died two years ago, and now his mother was ill too. She was very thin, just like his father had been.
Ongula yefiku limwe okwa pula ina, “Oshike hano meme? Onaini to ti po xwepo? Iho teleke vali. Iho dulu vali okulonga mepya ile okuwapaleka eumbo. Iho longekidile nge vali okabaki kange koikulya yomusha ile u koshe omudjalo wange wofikola… “Hilifa mumati wange, ou na ashike eedula omuwoi, mumati wange, ndele oho file nge nawa oshisho.” Ta tale nawa okamonamati ehe shii kutya ote ka lombwele ngahelipi. Ote shi udu ko ngaho mbela? “Ame ohandi vele unene. Oho udu moradio tamu popiwa kombinga yomukifi oo hau ifanwa oAIDS. Ondi na omukifi oo,” osho e mu lombwela. Hilifa okwa kala a mwena manga okafimbo. “Tashi ti kutya naave oto fi ngaashi tate?” “Kape na epango lomukifi woAIDS.”
One morning he asked his mother, “What is wrong Mum? When will you be better? You don’t cook anymore. You can’t work in the field or clean the house. You don’t prepare my lunchbox, or wash my uniform…” “Hilifa my son, you are only nine years old and you take good care of me.” She looked at the young boy, wondering what she should tell him. Would he understand? “I am very ill. You have heard on the radio about the disease called AIDS. I have that disease,” she told him. Hilifa was quiet for a few minutes. “Does that mean you will die like Daddy?” “There is no cure for AIDS.”
Hilifa okwa ya kofikola e na omalipulo e li moule. Ka li ta dulu okupopya nokudanauka nawa pamwe navakwao ngaashi shito. “Oshike hano?” Tave mu pula. Ashike Hilifa ka li ta dulu okunyamukula, oitya yaina oya li tai kwelengedja momatwi aye, “kau na epango, kau na epango.” Okwa li e na omalimbililo kutya ote ke lifila mbela oshisho ngahelipi ngeenge ina okwa kala ehe po vali. Ota ka kala peni? Ota ka hanga peni oimaliwa yoikulya?
Hilifa walked to school thoughtfully. He couldn’t join in the chatter and games of his friends as they walked along. “What’s wrong?” they asked him. But Hilifa couldn’t answer, his mother’s words were ringing in his ears, “No cure. No cure.” How could he look after himself if his mother died, he worried. Where would he live? Where would he get money for food?
Hilifa ta kala omutumba pokataafula kaye. Ota fengaafenga oshitaafula nominwe daye mokutongolola omadidiliko oo a li a afanekwa ko “kau na epango, kau na epango.” “Hilifa, Hilifa, ou li ngaho pamwe nafye hano?” Hilifa ta petuka. Jefolou Nelao okwe mu fikamena. “Hilifa fikama! Onda ti ngahelipi?” Hilifa okwa tala peemhadi daye. “Ito mono po enyamukulo opo to tale! Magano, lombwela Hilifa enyamukulo.” Hilifa okwa li a fya ohoni shaashi, Jefolou Nelao ine mu hanyaukila nale ngaho.
Hilifa sat at his desk. He traced the worn wood markings with his finger, “No cure. No cure.” “Hilifa? Hilifa, are you with us?” Hilifa looked up. Ms. Nelao was standing over him. “Stand up Hilifa! What was my question?” Hilifa looked down at his feet. “You won’t find the answer down there!” she retorted. “Magano, tell Hilifa the answer.” Hilifa felt so ashamed, Ms. Nelao had never shouted at him before.
Hilifa ota kondjo nomadiladilo ongula aishe. Pefimbo lokafudo okwa kala e li omutumba mongulu yofikola. “Ohandi vele medimo,” osho a fufya ookaume kaye. Enyamukulo laye kalali naana loipupulu unene shaashi nande ka li ta vele medimo okwa li ta piyaanekwa komadilaadilo oo taa ingaana momutwe waye afa eenyiki da handuka. Jefolou Nelao ote mu tongolola nelimweneneno. “Oshike sha puka”, osho e mu pula. “Kape na sha,” osho a nyamukula. Omatwi aye okwa uda eloloko nelimbililo mondaka yaye. Omesho aye okwa mona outile oo kwa li ta kendabala neenghono okuholeka.
Hilifa struggled through the morning. At break time he sat in the classroom. “I have a stomach ache,” he lied to his friends. It wasn’t a big lie, he did feel sick, and his worried thoughts buzzed inside his head like angry bees. Ms. Nelao watched him quietly. She asked him what was wrong. “Nothing,” he replied. Her ears heard the tiredness and worry in his voice. Her eyes saw the fear he was trying so hard to hide.
Hilifa eshi kwa li ta kendabala okuninga omivalu daye, eenomola oda li tadi nukauka nomutwe waye. Kakwa li naanaa ta dulu oku di koneka noku di valula efimbo lile. Divadiva okwa sholola. Ponhele yokuvalula okwa kala ta dilaadila ina. Ominwe daye oda tameka okufaneka osho shi li momadiladilo aye. Okwa faneka ina eshi e li mombete. Ote lifaneke a fikamena ombila yaina. “Ovaongeli voilonga yOmwaalu, kwafei nge mu ongele omambo aeshe,” osho Jefolou Nelao a ti. Ombaadilila, Hilifa okwa mona omafano oo a faneka membo laye, ndee ta kendabala ngeno a pombole mo epandja olo, ashike efimbo ola pwa ko. Omwoongeli womambo okwa twala nale embo kuJefolou Nelao.
When Hilifa tried to do his maths the numbers jumped around in his head. He couldn’t keep them still long enough to count them. He soon gave up. He thought of his mother instead. His fingers began to draw his thoughts. He drew his mother in her bed. He drew himself standing beside his mother’s grave. “Maths monitors, collect all the books please,” called Ms. Nelao. Hilifa suddenly saw the drawings in his book and tried to tear out the page, but it was too late. The monitor took his book to Ms. Nelao.
Jefrou Nelao okwa tala omafano a fanekwa kuHilifa. Eshi ounona va pita mo va ye komaumbo, okwe mu ifana. “Hilifa ila apa, onda hala okupopya naave.” “Oshike sha puka?” Osho e mu pula noukeka. “Meme ota vele, okwa lombwela nge kutya oku na oAIDS. Ota fi?” Hilifa ta pula. “Kandi shi shii Hilifa, ashike mboli ota vele unene ngeenge oku na o-AIDS, omukifi ou kau na epango”. Oitya oyo natango, “Kau na epango. Kau na epango.” Hilifa okwa tameka okukwena. “Inda keumbo, Hilifa” Osho a ti,” Ohandi ya ndi talele po meme woye.”
Ms. Nelao looked at Hilifa’s drawings. When the children were leaving to go home she called, “Come here Hilifa. I want to talk to you.” “What’s wrong?” she asked him gently. “My mother is ill. She told me she has AIDS. Will she die?” “I don’t know, Hilifa, but she is very ill if she has AIDS. There is no cure.” Those words again, “No cure. No cure.” Hilifa began to cry. “Go home, Hilifa,” she said. “I will come and visit your mother.”
Hilifa eshi e uya meumbo okwa hanga ina ta longekida omusha. “Onde ku telekela nena Hilifa, ashike paife onda loloka nai. Tonatela oshikunino shoikwambidi ndele to kufa omanyoto amwe u twale kofitola. Otave ke tu landifila.” Konima yomusha, Hilifa okwa ya koshikunino. Ota tala komaluvala a hapa nawa oikwambidi, omanyoto neendungu da tilyana nawa, omakunde male nombidi yomafo ya hapa nawa, oikapa i na omafo a hapa nawa nomapungu male male taa monika nawa. Okwa tekela oshikunino ndee ta tona omanyoto oshako iyadi ndele te a twala kofitola. “Oshikunino shavo otashi ka kala ngahelipi mbela ngeenge ina okwa fi?” osho e lipula nelimbililo.
Hilifa went home and found his mother preparing lunch. “I’ve cooked for you today, Hilifa, but now I am very tired. Look after the vegetable garden and take some tomatoes to the shop. They will sell them for us.” After lunch Hilifa went to the vegetable plot. He looked at the bright colours of the vegetables, bright red tomatoes and chillies, long green beans and dark green spinach, the green leaves of the sweet potato and tall golden maize. He watered the garden and picked a bag full of ripe red tomatoes to take to the shop. “What would happen to their garden if his mother died?” he wondered.
Jefolou Nelao okwa fika diva eshi Hilifa a ya kofitola. Okwa kala efimbo lile ta popi nameme waHilifa. “Meme Ndapanda, oho nu tuu omiti doAIDS?” Osho e mu pula. “Konima eshi omushamane wange a fya, onda li nda fya ohoni okuya kundokotola,” osho a lombwela Jefolou Nelao. “Onda li ndi na elineekelo kutya pamwe inandi kwatwa kombuto. Eshi nda tameka okweehama ndele handi i ku ndokotola, okwa lombwela nge kutya efimbo ola pwa po. Omiti itadi kwafa nge vali.” Jefolou Nelao okwa lombwela meme Ndapanda osho e na okuninga a kwafele Hilifa.
Ms. Nelao arrived soon after Hilifa left. She spent a long time talking to his mother. She asked Hilifa’s mother, “Meme Ndapanda, are you taking the medicine for AIDS?” “After my husband died I was too ashamed to go to the doctor,” she told Ms. Nelao. “I kept hoping I wasn’t infected. When I became ill and went to the doctor she told me it was too late. The medicine would not help me.” Ms. Nelao told Meme Ndapanda what to do to help Hilifa.
Eshi Hilifa e ya keumbo meme Ndapanda okwe mu pula ta ti, “Hilifa mumati wange, onda hala u twale nge ndi ke liufe momaulu. Oto kwafa nge?” Hilifa okwa kwata ina mokwooko ndele ina ta yaamene kuye. Ova enda va yuka kombinga oko ku na omiti dile domakiya. Okwe mu pula, “Oto dimbulukwa eshi ho kwa li dana etanga apa namumwanyoko Kanuu? Owa fangelele okatanga komuti ou ndee taka hakele momakiya. Xo okwa li ta kendabala e ke ka tale ko ndele ta kwenyununwa komakiya.”
When Hilifa came home his mother asked him, “Hilifa, my son, I want to take a walk with you. Will you help me?” Hilifa took his mother’s arm and she leaned on him. They walked to where the tall thorn trees grew. She asked him, “Do you remember playing football here with your cousin Kunuu? You kicked the ball into the tree and it got stuck on the thorns. Your father got scratched getting it down for you.”
“Tala, oshixwa shomuve. Inda u ka tone ko dimwe u twaalele keumbo.” Eshi Hilifa kwa li ta tona eembe, ina okwe mu pula, “Oto dimbuluka eshi wa li u munini, owa li ho li eembe noiti yado. Owa kala oule woshivike ino ya koixwa.” “Eheeno, edimo lange ola li tali vele,” Hilifa eshe e shi dimbuluka, okwa yola.
“Look, there’s an omandjembere bush. Go and pick some to take home.” When Hilifa was picking the sweet berries, she said, “Do you remember when you were small you ate the berries and the seed inside. You didn’t go to the toilet for a week!” “Yes, my stomach was sooo sore,” remembered Hilifa, laughing.
Eshi va fika keumbo, ina yaHilifa okwa li a loloka neenghono. Hilifa okwa ningila ina otee. Meme Ndapanda ta kufa okapakete ka li koshi yombete yaye. “Hilifa ei oinima yoye. Mokapakete mu omu na oinima oyo tai ku kwafele okudimbuluka apa wa dja.”
When they got home Hilifa’s mother was very tired. Hilifa made some tea. Meme Ndapanda took a small box from under her bed. “Hilifa, this is for you. In this box are things that will help you remember where you come from.”
Okwa kufa oidimbulukifo mokapakete kooshimwe-nooshimwe. “Eli efano laxo e ku humbata. Oove oshiveli shaye shomumati. Eli efano loye eshi kwa li nde ku twala kuxokulu nanyokokulu, okwa li va hafa. Eli eyoo loye lotete wa kuka. Oto dimbuluka eshi wa li to kwena nonde ku udanekela kutya omayoo mahapu otaa ka mena natango. Ei ombadi nda pewelwe kuxo, konima yodula imwe, eshi twa hombola .”
She took the mementos out of the box one by one. “This is a photo of your father holding you. You were his firstborn son. This photo is when I took you to see your grandparents, they were so happy. This is the first tooth you lost. Do you remember how you cried and I had to promise you that more would grow. This is the brooch your father gave me when we were married for one year.”
Hilifa okwa kala e kwete okapakete ndele ta tameke okukwena. Ina okwe mu papatela ndele ta indile, “Omwene ne ku amene ye na kale naave.” Okwa kala e mu papatela eshi ta popi. “Hilifa mumati wange, ou shi shii kutya ame ohandi vele neenghono, nohandi ka kala pamwe naxo moule wokafimbo kaxupi. Inandi hala u ude nai. Dimbulukwa nghene ndi ku hole.Dimbulukwa nghene xo kwa li e ku hole.”
Hilifa held the box and began to cry. His mother held him close by her side and said a prayer, “May the Lord protect you and keep you safe.” She held him as she spoke. “Hilifa, my son. You know that I am very ill, and soon I will be with your father. I don’t want you to be sad. Remember how much I love you. Remember how much your father loved you.”
Ina ta twikile, “Xokulu Kave wokOshakati ohe tu tumine oimaliwa nge e na sha. Okwa lombwela nge kutya ote ku file oshisho. Onde shi mu lombwela nale. Oto kala ho i kofikola naKanuu, omonamati waye. Kunuu oku li mOndodo 4 e ku fa. Otave ku file oshisho.” “Ondi hole tatekulu Kave nameekulu Muzaa,” “Ondi hole okudanauka naKunuu”. Hilifa osho a ti. “Otashi dulika u veluke ngeenge ove ku file oshisho?” “Ahawe mumati wange, itandi veluka vali nawa. Owa fila nge nawa oshisho. Ondi udite etumba oku kala ndi na omumati muwa ngaashi ove.”
His mother continued, “Uncle Kave from Oshakati sends us money when he can. He told me that he will care for you. I have talked to him about it. You’ll go to school with Kunuu, his son. Kunuu is in Grade 4 like you. They will take good care of you.” “I like Uncle Kave and Aunt Muzaa,” said Hilifa. “And I like playing with Kunuu. Would you become well if they look after you?” “No, my son. I won’t become well. You look after me very well. I am proud to have such a good son.”
Ongula yefiku la landula kofikola, Jefolou Nelao okwe va longa kombinga yoHIV noAIDS. Ovanafikola ova li va tila. Ova uda oudu ou moradio, ashike kape na ou he shi kundafana keumbo. “Ohau di peni?” osho Magano ta pula. “Ohau kwata ovanhu ngahelipi?” osho Hidipo a pula. Mee Nelao okwa fatulula kutya oHIV edina lombuto. Omunhu ngeenge oku na ombuto yo-HIV mohonde yaye, natango oha monika e li moukolele. “Nongeenge ova tameke okweehama ohatu ti ove na na omukifi woAIDS.”
The next morning at school Ms. Nelao taught them about HIV and AIDS. The learners looked afraid. They heard about this illness on the radio, but no-one spoke about it at home. “Where does it come from?” asked Magano. “How do we catch it?” asked Hidipo. Ms. Nelao explained that HIV is the name of a virus. When a person has the HIV virus in their blood they still look healthy. “We say they have AIDS when they become ill.”
Jefolou Nelao okwa fatulula omikalo dimwe odo omunhu ta dulu okukwatwa kombuto yo-HIV. “Fye ohatu dulu okukwatwa kombuto ei ngeenge twa i mekwatafano nohonde yomunhu ou e na ombuto yo-HIV ile o-AIDS. Inatu longifeni oumbi ile oulikushifo imwe novanhu vamwe ve lili. Ngeenge hatu li tyuuleni komatwi otu na okulongifa oumbi neengwiya da wapalekwa nawa. Okwa fatulula yoo nghene oumbi neengwiya i na okuwapalekwa nawa. Ngeenge otwa mono oshiponga ndele hatu di ohonde, otu na okupula ovakulunhu va wapaleke poipute yetu. Otu na okumanga oipute opo tu i amene.”
Ms. Nelao explained some of the ways we can be infected with HIV. “If someone has HIV or AIDS we can catch the virus from their blood. We should never share razors or toothbrushes. If we get our ears pierced we must use sterilised blades and needles.” She explained how needles and blades should be sterilised. “If we hurt ourselves and there is blood we must ask an adult to clean the wound. We must cover the wound to protect it,” she told them.
Opo nee okwe va ulikila efano. “Edi adishe omikalo odo to dulu okulongifa opo uha kwatwe ko-HIV. Ombuto yo-HIV itai ku kwata ngeenge to longifa okandjuwo ile okalikoshelo kamwe nomunhu e na ombuto, okulipapatela, okulihupita nokuminika nomunhu ou e i na nasho kashi na oshiponga. Oshi li nawa okulongifa okakopi ile okayaxa kamwe nomunhu e na oHIV ile oAIDS. Ove ito mono ombuto komunhu ta kolola ile tatu onhisha. Navali, ito i mono ombuto okudilila meemwe, moilyani imwe ngaashi eena ile eemhombo.”
Then she showed them a chart. “These are all the ways you can’t catch HIV,” she told them. “You won’t get HIV from using the toilet, or sharing a bath. Hugging, kissing or shaking hands with someone with HIV or AIDS is also safe. It’s OK to share cups and plates with someone who has HIV or AIDS. And you can’t catch it from someone who is coughing or sneezing. Also, you can’t get it from mosquitoes or other biting insects like lice or bedbugs.”
“Oto ningi ngahelipi ngeenge wa kwatwa komukifi?” Magano osho a pula. “Iyaa, ou na oku lifila oshisho ove mwene ove to li oikulya i na oukolele. Taleni mekalata loikulya yetu,” osho a ti. “Olye ta dimbuluka oikulya oyo iwa nomalutu etu?” osho a pula.
“What do you do if you’ve got it?” asked Magano. “Well, you must take care of yourself and eat lots of healthy food. Look at our food chart,” she said. “Who can remember what food is good for you?” she asked.
Eshi Hilifa a fika keumbo okwa lombwela ina eshi ve lihonga kofikola efiku olo. “Jefolou Nelao okwe tu lombwela kombinga yo-HIV noAIDS, nonghee tu na okufila oshisho omunhu ta vele. Magano naHidipo otava ka kwafela nge noilonga yange yomeumbo opo nee hatu ningi oshipewalonga shange,” Hilifa ta lombwele ina.
When Hilifa got home he told his mother what he had learned at school that day. “Ms. Nelao told us about HIV and AIDS and how to look after someone who’s ill. Magano and Hidipo are going to help me with my chores and we will do our homework together,” he told her.
Komatango efiku olo Magano okwe uya a kwafe Hilifa oku ka eta omeva. Hidipo okwe va kwafela okutyava oikuni. Ova kala omutumba momudile womuti womwoongo ndele tava longo oipewalonga yavo.
That afternoon Magano came and helped Hilifa to fetch water. Hidipo helped him to gather firewood. Then they sat and did their homework in the shade of the marula tree.
Jefolou Nelao okwa lombwela vali ovashiinda vaHilifa kutya okwa kala nokufila ina oshisho. Ova udaneka oku mu kwafa. Onguloshi keshe umwe womovashiinda shavo ohe uya noikulya ipyu opo va lye. Hilifa alushe ohe va pe oikwambidi ya dja moshikunino.
Ms. Nelao had also told Hilifa’s neighbours that he was looking after his mother. They had promised to help him. Every night a different neighbour came with hot food for them to eat. Hilifa always gave them some vegetables from the garden.
Mefiku laxuuninwa loshikako shofikola Hilifa okwa li a hafa neenghono. Okwa lotokela keumbo a ka ulikile ina odjapo yaye. Okwa lotokela meni leumbo ta ifana, “Meme, meme, tala kondjapo yange eshi nda mona mo ‘A’, ‘A’, noo ‘A’ vahapu.” Hilifa okwa hanga ina a nangala kombete. “Meme,” osho a ingida. “Meme, penduka!”Ye ina penduka.
On the last day of the school term Hilifa was very happy. He ran home to show his mother his report card. He ran into the yard calling, “Mum. Mum. Look at my report card. I have got ‘A’, ‘A’, and more ‘A’s’.” Hilifa found his mother lying in bed. “Mum!” he called. “Mum! Wake up!” She didn’t wake up.
Hilifa okwa tondokela kovashiinda. “Meme wange, Meme wange. Ita penduka,” okwa li ta kwena. Ovashiinda ova ya keumbo naHilifa nova hanga mee Ndapanda a nangala kombete yaye. “Okwa fya, Hilifa,” ovashiinda ove shi popya neudo nai.
Hilifa ran to the neighbours. “My Mum. My Mum. She won’t wake up,” he cried. The neighbours went home with Hilifa and found Meme Ndapanda in her bed. “She is dead, Hilifa,” they said sadly.
Onghundana yefyo laMee Ndapanda oya tandavela meendelelo. Eumbo okwa li liyadi ovakwapata, ovashiinda nookahewa. Ova indilila meme waHilifa, ndele tava imbi omaimbilo. Ova li tava popi oinima aishe iwa ve shii kombinga yaye.
Very quickly the news spread that Meme Ndapanda was dead. The house was full of family, neighbours and friends. They prayed for Hilifa’s mother and sang hymns. They talked about all the good things they knew about her.
Inakulu Muzaa okwa telekela ovalilifya aveshe. Xekulu Kave okwa lombwela Hilifa kutya otava shuna naye kOshakati konima yepako. Xekulu okwe mu hokololela omahokololo kombinga yaina eshi a li okaana kokadona.
Aunt Muzaa cooked for all the visitors. Uncle Kave told Hilifa that they would take him back to Oshakati after the funeral. His Grandfather told him stories about his mother when she was a little girl.
Pepako Hilifa okwa ya komesho mongeleka ndele ta popi ondjokonona yaina. “Meme okwa li e hole nge nokwa li ha file nge oshisho nawa. Okwa lombwela nge ndi lihonge noudiinini opo ndi ka mone oilonga iwa. Okwa hala ndi kale nda hafa. Ohandi lihongo nda mana mo ndele handi longo noudiinini opo a kale e uditile nge etumba.”
At the funeral Hilifa went to the front of the church and told everyone about his mother. “My mother loved me and looked after me very well. She told me to study hard so that I could get a good job. She wanted me to be happy. I will study hard and work hard so that she can be proud of me.”
Konima yepako, xekulu Kave na inakulu Muzaa ove mu kwafa okupakela oinima ei ta i nayo kOshakati. “Kunuu ote ke shi hafela unene okukala e na kaume mupe,” osho ve mu lombwele. “Ohatu ku file oshisho ngaashi hatu file oshisho okamonamati ketu.” Hilifa okwa fiya po eumbo ndele ta i mokatekisa pamwe novakulunhu vaye vape.
After the funeral Uncle Kave and Aunt Muzaa helped Hilifa to pack his things to take to Oshakati. “Kunuu is looking forward to having a new friend,” they told him. “We will care for you like our own son.” Hilifa said goodbye to the house and got into the taxi with them.
Written by: Kandume Ruusa, Sennobia-Charon Katjiuongua, Eliaser Nghitewa