Nkenye ngurangura zonene Hilifa kupinduka a wapaikire ozina mulihako. Awo sinkwa ntaantani tupu kava kere mouvera wounene makura Hilifa ta lirongo nye omu na pakera ozina mbili kumwe namwene. Apa va ya verere unene ozina kapi vana kuvhura hena kupinduka age nga hwameke mundiro yipo a genyeke po mema a rungire ozina te. Ta gava te kozina nokuvawapaikira rumbororo romulihako gwawo. Poyiruwo yimwe ozina kuzumbanesa nonkodo nokuvhura si kulya. Hilifa ta lipura yoyinzi kuhamena ozina. Oguhwe kwa dogorokere nomvhura mbali dina ka pita ano ngesi ozina nawo kuna ku vera unene. Kwa tongamene ngamoomu tupu va kere 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.
Ngurangura zimwe kwa pulire ozina, “Udigu musinke muna kara nawo nane? Siruwo ke ngomu lizuvha ko hansa? Kapi muna kutereka hena kapi muna kurugana mepya ndi nampili kuzeresa membo. Kapi muna kurongerera nge sibaki sange sokosure ndi mu kuhwe mudwaro gwange gokosure…” Hilifa munange gomumati ove ntani ko gwanesere nomvhura ntane yiyo ono kupakera nge mbili nawa.” Tava tara mumatigona nokugazara asi yinke nava mu tantera. Nayi kwata egano ndi? ” Ame tani vere unene. Wa zuvha koradio uvera ava tumbura asi AIDS. Owo yiwo uvera nina kara nawo” Tava mu tantere. Hilifa kwa mwenene nominute dononsesu. ” Oyo ngoso kuna kutanta asi none ngomu fa ngwendi otate? “Kutupu 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 zire kosure age kuna kugazadara. Kapi ga vhulire kulihamesera monombunga ndi momaudano, monzira zendi zokuza kosure novakwawo. “Udigu musinke ono kara nawo?” Tava mu pura vakwawo. Nye Hilifa kapi ga vhulire kulimburura, nonkango dozina kuna kulitoona momatwi gendi, “Kutupu uhaku. Kutupu uhaku.” Ngapi omu na lipakera mwene mbili nsene nava dogoroka ozina, kwa kere nomagazaro. Kupi oku nga vhura kukara? Kupi oku 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. Ta kwamesa nyara zendi momufa gositji sombanga. “Kutupu uhaku. Kutupu uhaku.” Hilifa, nose ono kara ndi?” Hilifa ta tara meguru. Munekuto Nelao kwa sikeme pwendi. ” Sikama Hilifa! Ngapi ka li kara epuro lyange?” Hilifa ta nyongama a tare nompadi dendi. ” Kapi no gwana po elimbururo opo pevhu!” Ta li tengwida. “Magano, mu tantera Hilifa elimbururo.” Hilifa ta lizuvhu nomuga dononene sili, Munekuto Nelao kapi ga mu harukira rumwe unene.
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 kwa kondjere noudigu ngurangura ozo. Popause kwa hingilire monkondwarongero. “Mezimo lyange kuna kukora ” ta kumbagere vakwawo zendi. Kapi ya kere yimpempa yoyinene, ga lizuvhire sili asi ta vere, ntani magazaro kwa lidingire momutwe gwendi ngwendi nonyiki dokuhanduka. Munekuto Nelao kwa mu tere nelimweneneno. Ta mu pura asi udigu musinke ka u kara po. ” Kwato” ta limburura. Momatwi gendi ta dimburura eroroko ntani utjirwe mezwi lyendi. Meho gendi taga mono woma ou ana kukambadara kuvandeka.
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 kambadarere Hilifa kurugana muvaru gwendi nonomora tadi lirunga-runga momutwe gwendi. Kapi ga vhulire kuditura nawa momuzaro adi varure. Ta ligava mokaruwo tupu kokanunu. Mevega olyo ta gazara nye ozina. Nonyara dendi tadi vareke kutjanga magazaro gendi. Ta faneke ozina mombete zawo. Ta lifaneke mwene omu ana sikama pepi nombira zozina. ” Vatareli womuvaru, pongaikeni nombapira nina kanderere,” Yimo ga zigidire munekuto Nelao. Hilifa hararasi ta mono yifaneka mobuke zendi makura ta kambadara kutaura mo epenuno olyo, nye ana hulilire. Mutareli ta gusa buke zendi a zi tware komunekuto 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.
Munekuto Nelao ta tara yifaneka yaHilifa. Apa va pwege vanona va ze kembo ta zigida. “Wiza oku Hilifa. Nina hara kuuyunga nove.” “Udigu musinke?” Ta pura mumati nakauke. ” Onane tava vere. Awo kuna tantere nge asi kuna kara noAIDS. Kapi za kara nouhaku.” Doodina nonkango hena, “Kutupu uhaku, Kutupu uhaku.” Hilifa ta vareke kulira. “Zende kembo Hilifa,” yimo ga mu tanterere. “Nani wiza ni ya tarere po 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. Nina kuterekere neina, Hilifa, nye ngesi nina roroka unene. Tara kwina kosikunino soyikwahidi makura o tware ko madamate gamwe kositora. Tava ka ga tu randesera po. ” Konyima zomuzuhwa Hilifa ta zi kosikunino soyikwahidi, Ta tara po yikwahidi yina pi po, eyi yina kumoneka asi yina gehe koruvara madamate ntani nondungu, makunde gomare ntani nosipinasi sosinegurusovagani, mahako gosineguru gakawandja nepungu lyouhenga lyere. Ta tekere sikunino nokudamuna nsako zina zura madamate gomageha gosikandi a tware kositora. ” Yinke nayi horokera sikunino sawo scene o zina nava dogoroka?” Tali gazadara.
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.
Munekuto Nelao ta ya bubuka konyima tupu zokaruwo apa ana tundu po Hilifa. Age kwa ya kere siruwo sosire oku ta zogere nozina, “Ta pura ozina vaHilifa, “Nane Ndapanda, Tomu nu tupu nomutji doAIDS?” Konyima zapa ga fire mugara gwange kouvera ou, ame kwa lifire nomuga unene dokuninka asi ni ze kwa- ndokotora,” Yimo va tanterere omunekuto Nelao. ” Ame kwa kere nehuguvaro asi ngesi name ga kagwisa nge ko. Apa na varekere kuvera yipo na zire kwandokotora ta ka tantera nge asi nina hulilire. Nomutji kapi nadi vhura kuvatera nge.” Makura Munekuto Nelao ta tantere onane Ndapanda asi yinke nava vhura kurugana yipo va vatere 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 ya sikire Hilifa pembo, O zina tava mu pura, “Hilifa munange gomumati kani hara tu gende nakauke. No vhura kuvatera nge?” Hilifa ta kwata kuwoko kozina, ozina tava mu zegamene. Tava zi dogoro kooku ayi mene yitji yomega yoyire. Tava mu pura asi ” To diworoka omu ngomu danauka mbara apa nasipwa soge Kunuu? Ove kwa sangerere mbara mositji makura tazi kakatere momega. Oguho kwa va zenye mega mokukugusira mo zina mbara.
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 kwina ko si li sihwa somandjembere. Zende o ka guse ko gamwe o simbe kembo. ” Apa ga nyenge Hilifa enyango lina lyoutovara, ozina tava uyunga asi, ” To diworoka asi apa wa kere ove simpe o munona ngo li enyango nonontanga dalyo monda. Kapi ngo zi kokanzugo kokulivaterera ure wosivike!” “Yimo, mezimo lyange kwa kere tamu koro,” yimo ana kudiworoka Hilifa, 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 ka sikire kembo ozina vaHilifa vana roroka unene. Hilifa ta rongikida te. Onane Ndapanda tava gusa kapakotegona monda zombete. “Hilifa, esi soge. Omu mosipakote mo yi li yininke yokuvhura kukuvatera o diworoke 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.”
Ta gusa mo yidimbwiliso mosipakote simwe nasimwe. ” Eli efano lyoguho vana ku kwaterere. Nyove wa kere munwawo gomumati gokuhova. Eli efano paapa na ku twere o ka mone vazinyakuru woge, awo kwa hefe sili. Eli yilyo ezego lyoge lyahovere kukuka. To diworoka omu wa lilire ame kwa ku tumbwidilire asi ngaga menena mo gomanzi. Ezi mbandi ezi va pere nge oguho apa twa sikisire mvhura zimwe mononkwara detu.”
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 ta gusa sipakote oso ta vareke kulira. Ozina tava mu li- henyesere koruha rwawo, makura tava tura po ekanderero, “Ngano Karunga a ku popere noku kukunga.” Tava mu kwata apa vana kuuyunga. ” Hilifa munange gomumati. Ono yi diva asi ame tani vere unene, ntani ntaantani ni ka lipakerere noguho. Kapi nina hara asi o guve. Diworoka omu na ku hara. Diworoka omu va ku here 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, “Hekuroge Kave gokOshahkati kututumina yimaliva apa a vhuru. Kwa tanterere nge asi nga ku pakera mbili. Na zogera nendi nare yokuhamena eyi. Ngo za kosure naKunuu, Kunuu nage moHarade zo-4 ngwendi nyove. Ngava mu pakera nawa mbili. “Ame kwa hara hekuru Kave nonane Muzaa,” yige Hilifa. “Ntani ame kwa hara kudana naKunuu. Ngo vhura kukara nawa nsene ngava ku pakera mbili?” “Hawe, munange gomumati. Ame kapi ngani kara hena nawa. Wa pakera nge mbili nawa. Ame kuhafa mokukara namunange gomuwa gomumati ngwendi nyove.
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.”
Ngurangura za kweme ko kosure Munekuto Nelao kwa va rongere kuhamena HIV noAIDS. Varongwa kwa tukukire. Ou uvera va u zuvha koradio, nye kwato gumwe ogu a u uyunga kembo. ” Kupi wa tunda?” Yimo ga pulire Magano. ” Ngapi omu atu u gwana?” Yimo ga pulire Hidipo. Munekuto Nelao ta fwaturura asi HIV edina Lyokambumburu. Nsene muntu a kara nokambumburu aka HIV mohonde zendi, simpe ta moneka asi mu kangure. ” Ose kuuyunga asi vana kara noAIDS nsene vana vareke kuvera.”
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.”
Munekuto Nelao ta fwaturura nonkedi dimwe omu atu gwana HIV. ” Nsene gumwe a kara noHIV ndi AIDS ose kuvhura kugwana simbumburu soHIV mohonde zendi. Walye atu litambagureni tuvemba ndi yiliputjisomazego. Nsene tatu litomona komatwi atu ruganeseni tuvemba ndi nonsonga dokutintika pokuditereka. Nsene tuna liremeke nyaamwetu makura pa kare honde atu hundireni vakondi va tu vatere kuzeresa sironda oso. Twa kona kudinga sironda yipo tu si popere,” Yimo gava 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 tava likida efano lyomauzera. Edi yido nonkedi omu no vhura kupira kugwana HIV, “tava tantere.” Kapi to gwana HIV pokuruganesa kasaise, ndi mokuruganesa sizoganeno simwe. Mokulidingira mukweni, mokulincumita ndi nampili o morore muntu ogu ga kara noHIV ndi AIDS simpe nokuugwana si. Simpe yiwaawa tupu kuruganesa rupasa ndi nkinda zimwe nomuntu goHIV ndi AIDS. Kapi to u gwana komuntu ogu ana kukohora ndi kupemba. Nampili pokukuhuma mwe kapi to u gwana ndi nkenye tupu simbumburu sokuhuma, ena ndi ensiva.”
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.”
“Yinke no vhura kurugana nsene ono u gwana?” Yimo ana kupura Magano. “Nawa, wa kona kulipakera mbili nyaamoge nokulya nondya doukanguki dononzi. Tareni komafano gonondja edi,” Yimo ga va tanterere. ” Yilye ogu ana kudiworoka asi nondya musinke donongwa koge?” 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 ta tantere ozina eyi ana ka lironga kosure naina. ” Munekuto Nelao kuna tu rongo yokuhamena HIV noAIDS ntani ngapi omu no pakera mbili muntu gokuvera. OMagano naHidipo yiwo nava vatera nge ko noyirugana yange tatu rugana yiruganenambo yetu kumwe,” yimo ga tantere 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 kwa wizire a ya vatere Hilifa kuvheta mema. Hidipo kwa mu vaterere kutjava yitare. Makura tava hingire va vareke kurugana yiruganenambo yawo momundwire gositji sougongo.
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.
Munekuto Nelao ga tanterere hena vasinda vaHilifa asi age nga pakere mbili ozina. Awo kwa tumbwidilire kumuvatera. Nkenye masiku vamusinda wokulisiga-siga ngava va retere nondya donompyu va ya lye. Hilifa age nkenye apa ngava pe ko enyango lyomosikunino sawo.
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.
Mezuva lyokuhulilira lyosinema sosure Hilifa kwa hefe sili unene. Kwa dukilire kembo a ka likide ozina nzapo zendi. Ta ya hwilire meharango lyembo oku ta zigire, “Nane. Nane. Tareni nzapo zange. Ame kuna gwana ‘A’, ‘A’ ntani no ‘A’ dononzi. Hilifa kwa ka gwene ozina vana rara pombete. “Nane!” ta zigire. “Nane! Pindukeni!” Ozina 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 ta dukire kovamusinda. ” Onane. Onane. Kapi nava pinduka,” Ta zigire. Vamusinda tava zi kembo naHilifa tava ka gwana onane Ndapanda mombete zawo.” 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-usimbu tupu mbudi tazi lihana asi onane Ndapanda vana dogoroka. Embo kwa kere lina zura vanekoro, vamusinda novakaume. Tava kanderere po ozina vaHilifa nokudimba po nonsumo. Awo kwa uyungire yininke nayinye yoyiwa eyi va divire nga rugana mugolikadi gwina.
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.
Onane Muzaa kwa terekerere vagenda navenye. Hekurwa Hilifa Kave ta tantere Hilifa asi ngava mu twara koOshakati konyima zehoreko. Ozinakuru wovagara ngava mu tantere masanseko gokuhamena ozina apa va kere awo simpe vakadonagona.
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 ta zi komeho zongereka a tantere navenye yokuhamena ozina. ” Onane kwa here nge awo kwa pakera nge mbili nawa. Awo kwa tanterere nge ni lironge unene yipo ngani gwane yirugana yoyiwa. Awo kwa harerere nge ni hafe. Ngani lironge unene nokurugana unene yipo ngava kare vana hafa morwa rwange.
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 zonomfa Hekurwendi Kave nangumweyi zendi Muzaa kwa vaterere Hilifa a rongere yininke yendi a simbe koOshakati. “Kunuu ta gazara oku nga gwana hena muholi zendi gumwe,” Yimo va mu tanterere. ” Tatu ka ku pakera mbili ngwendi munwetu gwanyaamwetu. ” Hilifa ta morora nerekero embo makura ta rondo 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