Nonsigwe nado kwa hepa eharo Orphans need love too
Kandume Ruusa, Sennobia-Charon Katjiuongua, Eliaser Nghitewa
Jamanovandu Urike
Rukwangali
Level 5
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Nkenye ngurangura Hilifa nga livinduka kupinduka a wapaikire ozina mulihako. Awo kuna vere unene mazuva gana tundu ko ntani Hilifa kuna kulirongesa kupakera mbili ozina namwene. Apa va verere unene ozina nga hwameke mundiro a genyeke mema a ninkire ozina te. Nga ninkire ozina te nokuterekera ozina yisima va lye mulihako. Poyiruwo yimwe ozina kwa kere nonkondo mwato makura nokuvhura si kulya. Hilifa kwa kere nosinka kozina. Oguhwe va dogoroka nomvhura mbali da ka pita po, makura ngesi ozina kwa verere unene. Kwa nunupire unene, ngwendi oguhwe.
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.
Ezuva limwe ngurangura yipo ga pulire ozina, “Nane yisinke yina lilimbi? Ezuvake ngo mu kara ko nawa? Kapi hena muna kutereka. Kapi omu rugana mepya ndi mu zerese embo. Kapi omu rongikidire nge sipako sange somuzuhwa, ndi mu kuhwe mudwaro gwange gosure.” “Hilifa munwange, ove nomvhura ntane tupu ntani ove kupakera nge mbili.” Awo kwa tere mumatigona awo vana tetuka eyi nava mu tantera. Na yi kwata egano? “Ame kuna kuvera unene. Wa zuvha koradio uvera ou ava tumbura asi AIDS. Ame kuna kara nouvera owo,” yimo va mu tanterere. Hilifa kwa mwenene nominute dongandi. “Ngoso kuna kutanta asi none ngomu fa ngwendi Otate?” “Kwato uhaku 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 kwa gendere a ze kosure oku ta gazara. Kapi ga vhulire kuhamena monzogera ndi momaudano kumwe novakwawo apa va gendere. “Yisinke yina lilimbi?” yimo va mu pulire. Nye Hilifa kapi ga limbwilire, nonkango dozina kwa hagarere momatwi gendi, “Kwato uhaku. Kwato uhaku.” Ngapi omu na lipakera mbili mwene nsene ozina va fa, yimo ga kere sinka/ga lipulire. Kupi ko nga kara? Kupi ko nga gwana yimaliva yonondya?
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 kwa hingilire pombanga zendi. Age kwa temwinine nonyara zendi madidiliko gonohukinzwi, “Kwato uhaku. Kwato uhaku.” “Hilifa? Hilifa, to purakene?” Hilifa yipo ga kankukire. Mugolikadi Nelao kwa sikeme komeho zendi. “Sikama Hilifa! Ngapi lina kara epuro lyange?” Hilifa kwa nyongamene a litare konompadi. “Pevhu kapi no gwana po elimbururo!” yimo ga mu tanterere. “Magano, tantera Hilifa elimbururo.” Hilifa kwa lizuvhire nomuga, Mugolikadi Nelao kapi ga mu karukira pwanare.
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.
Ngurangura ozo Hilifa kwa pitire mo noudigu. Popause age kwa hingilire monkondwarongero. “Ezimo lyange kuna kukora,” yimo ga kumbagerere vakwawo. Nye kapisi kwa kere yimpepa yoyinene, nye kwa lizuvhire ta vere, nye magazaro gendi gosinka kwa kere taga zogerere momutwe ngwendi nonyiki dougara. Mugolikadi Nelao kwa mu tere age ana mwena. Age kwa mu pulire asi yinke ya lilimbire. “Nayimwesi,” yimo ga limbwilire. Matwi gendi ga zuvhire eroroko nosinka momumati ogu. Meho gendi ga mwene woma ou ga kondjesere nononkondo kuhoreka.
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.
Apa ga here Hilifa kurugana muvaru gwendi nonomora kwa vataukire momutwe gwendi. Kapi ga vhulire kudisikameka siruwo sokugwaneka yipo a di varure. Nakaruvali si yipo ga hagekere. Mevega lyeyi yipo ga gazarere ozina. Nonyara dendi yipo da tamekere kufaneka magano gendi. Age kwa fanekere ozina vana rara pombete zawo. Age kwa lifanekere mwene age ana sikama pepi nombira zozina. “Vatareli womuvaru, kuna kumuhundira mu pongaike nobuke nadinye,” yimo ga uyungire Mugolikadi 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.
Mugolikadi Nelao kwa tere koyifanaika yaHilifa. Apa va pwege vanona va ze komambo yipo ga zigidire, “Wiza oku Hilifa. Ame kuna hara kuuyunga nove.” “Yisinke yina lilimbi?” yimo ga mu pulire nawa. “Onane tava vere. Awo kava tanterere nge asi vana kara no-AIDS. Na va fa?” “Kapi nina diva Hilifa, nye tava vere unene nsene no-AIDS vana kara. Kwato uhaku.” Hena nonkango odo, “Kwato uhaku. Kwato uhaku.” Hilifa yipo ga tamekere kulira. “Zende kembo Hilifa,” yimo ga uyungire. “Nani wiza niya dingure onyoko.”
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 yipo ga zire kembo ta ka gwana ozina kuna kuwapaika muzuhwa. “Neina nina kuterekere, Hilifa, nye ngesi nina roroka unene. Pakera mbili sikunino soyikwehidi nokugusa mo yidamate yimwe o tware kositora. Awo nava ka yi tu randesera.” Konyima zomuzuhwa Hilifa yipo ga zire mosikunino soyikwehidi. Age kwa tere komaruvara goyikwehidi gokumoneka unene, ugeha wokumoneka unene woyidamate nonondungu, makunde gomare gosikwiliva ntani ehidi lyosikwilivasovagani, yihako yosikwiliva yakawandja ntani epungu lyere lyoungorodo. Age kwa tekerere sikunino ntani yipo ga nyangerere nsako zokuzura madamate gomageha gokupya a tware kositora. “Yisinke ngayi horokera sikunino sawo nsene ozina va fa?” yimo ga lipulire.
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.
Mugolikadi Nelao kwa ya sikire age Hilifa ntani ana kutunda po. Age kwa kere siruwo sosire a zogere nozina vaHilifa. Age kwa pulire ozina vaHilifa, “Nane Ndapanda, one kunwa nomutji do-AIDS?” “Konyima zonomfa damugara gwange ame kwa kere nomuga kuza kwandokotora,” yimo ga tanterere Mugolikadi Nelao. “Ame kwa kere nina huguvara asi kapi na kagura. Apa na verere ni ze kwandokotora yipo ga ka tanterere nge asi na hulilire. Asi nomutji kapi tadi vatere nge.” Mugolikadi Nelao kwa tanterere Onane Ndapanda asi yisinke yokurugana mokuvatera 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.
Apa ga ka tengwire kembo Hilifa yipo va mu pulire ozina, “Hilifa munwange. Nina hara tu ka gende po. No vatera nge?” Hilifa yipo ga kwete kuwoko kozina ntani nawo yipo va zegamenene kwendi. Awo kwa gendere va vyuke oku da kara nomusu dononde. Awo yipo va mu pulire, “To diworoka omu ngomu sangere apa mbara kumwe nasipwa soge Kunuu? Ove kwa sangerere mbara mositji makura yiyo za patamenene komega. Oguho kwa va zenye mega moku zi ku turwira.”
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.”
“Tara, sipeke sosina. Zende o ka nyange ko nompeke tu piture kembo.” Age Hilifa kuna kunyanga nompeke, yipo va uyungire, “To diworoka asi ove simpe o munona ove kwa lire nompeke nokumina nontanga dado. Ure wosivike kapi wa likwefe!” “Yimo, ezimo lyange kwa korere unene,” ga diworokere Hilifa oku ta zoro.
“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.
Apa va ya sikire membo ozina vaHilifa vana roroka unene. Hilifa yipo ga ninkilire ozina te. Onane Ndapanda yipo va gusire sipakote sosinunu monda zombete zawo. “Hilifa, esi soge. Mosipakote esi kwa kara mo yininke eyi ngayi kuvatera kudiworoka oku wa tunda.”
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.”
Yipo va pwagesere simwe-nasimwe yidiworokesa mosipakote. “Eli efano lyoguho awo kuna kukwaterere. Ove kwa kere munwendi gombeli. Efano eli papa na ku twere o ka mone onyokokuru, awo kwa hefe unene. Eli ezego lyautatu wa zumbanesa. To diworoka omu wa lilire ntani yipo na ku tumbwidilire asi gomanzi ngaga mena. Ezi nsiporo zokupandekesa sikoverero oguho va zi pere nge apa twa gwanesere mvhura zimwe mononkwara.”
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 kwa kwaterere sipakote nokutameka kulira. Ozina kwa mu kwaterere awo vana mu lihedesere makura yipo va kanderere, “Hompa ngano a ku popere nokukuninka o kare mepopero.” Awo kwa mu kwaterere apa va uyungire. “Hilifa, munwange. Ono diva asi ame kuna kuvera unene, ntani ntaantani tupu ni ka gwane oguho. Kapi nina hara asi o guve. Diworoka asi ngapi va ku here unene oguho.”
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.”
Ozina kwa twikilire kuuyunga, “Hekuroge Kave gokOshakati kututumina yimaliva nsene ta vhuru. Age kwa tantera nge asi nga ku pakera mbili. Nayi uyunga nendi. Ngo za kosure kumwe naKunuu munwendi. Age moHarade 4 ngwendi nyove. Ngava ku pakera mbili.” “Hekurwage Kave noNgumweyi zange Muzaa na va hara,” yimo ga uyungire Hilifa. “Ame hena kwa hara kudana naKunuu. Ngo kara nawa nsene va ku pakera mbili?” “Hawe munwange. Kapi ngani veruka. Ove kupakera nge namwa mbili. Ame kulizuvha ruhafo kukara namunwange gomuwa ngesi.”
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.”
Ezuva lyokukwama ko kosure Mugolikadi Nelao kwa va rongere yokuhamena HIV no-AIDS. Vanona kwa monekere vana tjira. Awo va zuvha uvera ou koradio, nye kwato ogu ga u uyungire momambo. “Kupi ko au tundilire ou uvera?” yimo ga pulire Magano. “Ngapi omu atu u gwana?” yimo ga pulire Hidipo. Mugolikadi Nelao kwa singwenene asi HIV yilyo edina lyokambumburu. Nsene muntu ana kara nokambumburu ko-HIV mohonde zendi age simpe ta moneka asi mukanguke. “Ose kuuyunga asi ana kara noAIDS nsene ta vere.”
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.”
Mugolikadi Nelao kwa singwenene nonkedi dimwe omu atu vhuru kukagura HIV. “Nsene muntu kwa kara noHIV ndi AIDS kuvhura tu gwane AIDS mohonde zendi. Narumwesi tu litambagure yikavemba ndi yiliputjiso mazego. Nsene tuna hara va tu tjiure matwi getu twa hepa kuruganesa yikavemba nononsonga da dira kukara nonokime.” “Nsene tu liremeka nyamwetu ntani honde kuna kupita twa hepa kuhundira mukurona a kuhwe sironda. Twa hepa kukudumika sironda yipo tu si popere,” yimo ga va tanterere.
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.
Makura yipo ga va likidire ekarata. “Apa kuna kara po nonkedi nadinye omu no dira kukagura HIV,” yimo ga va tanterere. “Kapi to gwana HIV pokuruganesa kasaise, ndi kuruganesa nzugo zokulikuhwira nomuntu goHIV ndi AIDS. Kulidingira ndi kulimorora nomuntu go-HIV ndi AIDS nayo nawa tupu nokugwana si HIV ndi AIDS. Nawa tupu kuruganesa nonkinda nomarupasa gamwe nomuntu ga kara noHIV ndi AIDS. Ntani kapi to zi gwana komuntu ana kukohora ndi ana kupemba. Ntani hena kapi to zi gwana konomwe ndi koyimbumburu yopeke yokuhuma ngamoomu yina ndi mansiva.”
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.”
“Yisinke no rugana nsene ono kara nazo?” yimo ga pulire Magano. “Ya, wa hepa kulipakera mbili nyamoge nokulya nondya dononzi dokukanguka. Tara kokakarata ketu konondya,” yimo ga limbwilire murongi. “Yilye ana kudiworoka asi nondya musinke da mu wapera?” yimo ga pulire.
“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.
Apa ga ka sikire kembo Hilifa yipo ga ka tanterere ozina eyi ga ka lirongere kosure ezuva olyo. “Mugolikadi Nelao kuna tu tantere yokuhamena HIV no-AIDS ntani ngapi mokupakera mbili muntu ogu ana kuvera. Magano naHidipo nava vatera nge noyirugana yange yankenye ezuva ntani hena ose natu rugana kumwe yiruganenambo yetu yosure,” yimo ga tanterere ozina.
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.
Sitenguko oso Magano ga wizire makura yiyo ga vaterere Hilifa ku ka vheta mema. Haindongo kwa mu vaterere kutjava yitare. Makura yipo va hingilire va rugane kumwe yiruganenambo yawo yosure mositji souwongo.
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.
Mugolikadi Nelao kwa tanterere vamusinda vaHilifa asi age nga fire sinka ozina. Awo va tumbwidire asi ngava mu vatera. Nkenye ngurova musinda gwapeke nga wiza nonondya dokugenya va ya lye. Hilifa nkenye apa nga va pe yikwehidi yongandi yokutunda mosikunino.
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.
Ezuva lyokuhulilira lyosinano sosure Hilifa kwa hefe unene. Age kwa dukire a ze kembo a ka likide ozina nzapo zendi. Age kwa dukire a hwilire morugumbo rwembo oku ta zigire, “Nane. Nane. Tareni nzapo zange. Ame kwa gwana ‘A’, ‘A’, ntani no-‘A’dononzi.” Hilifa kwa ya gwene ozina vana rara pombete. “Nane!” yimo ga zigidire. “Nane! Pindukeni!” Awo kapi va pindukire.
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 kwa dukire a ze kovasinda. “Onane. Onane. Kapi vana kupinduka,” age kuna kulira. Vasinda kwa zire kembo naHilifa noku ka gwana Onane Ndapanda mombete. “Vana dogoroka, Hilifa,” yimo va uyungire neguwo.
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.
Usimbu yipo za lihanene mbudi asi Onane Ndapanda vana dogoroka. Embo kwa zulire ekoro, vasinda novaholi. Awo kwa kanderere nokudimbira ozina vaHilifa. Awo kwa uyungire yokuhamena yininke nayinye yoyiwa eyi va divire yoku va hamena.
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.
Ongumweyi Muzaa kwa terekerere vagenda navenye. Hekurwange Kave kwa tanterere Hilifa asi ngava mu tengwida kOshakati konyima zehoreko. Ozinakuru wovagara kwa mu sansekerere masanseko gokuhamena ozina apa va kere awo simpe mukadonagona.
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.
Pehoreko Hilifa kwa zire komeho mongereka nokutantera vantu navenye yokuhamena ozina. “Onane kwa here nge ntani ngava pakere nge mbili unene. Awo kwa tanterere nge ni lironge unene yipo ngani gwane yirugana yoyiwa. Awo kwa here asi ngani hafe. Ngani lironga unene nokurugana unene yipo ngani va hafese.”
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.”
Konyima zehoreko Hekurwange Kave noNgumweyi Muzaa yipo va vaterere Hilifa a rongere yininke yendi ayi piture kOshakati. “Kunuu ana hafere kugwana mukwawo gomupe,” yimo va mu tanterere. “Ngatu ku pakera mbili ngwendi munwetu gokureta nyamwetu.” Hilifa yipo ga rekerere embo nokuronda kumwe nawo motekisi.
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
Illustrated by: Jamanovandu Urike
Language: Rukwangali
Level: Level 5
Source: Orphans need love too from African Storybook
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.