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Mukunda wange wakarire nomaghukukutu ghomengi. Ngatukaranga mumutete ghoghure tuvete meyu kupomba ghofotji.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Ngatutatereranga yidya eyi ngahatupanga hamweya.
We waited for food donated by others.
Ngatukutjaperanga wangu mayugho ghetu pamurandu ghohakawidhi.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Hanuke hohengi hashaghekire shure.
Many children dropped out of school.
Hakamadighana ngarughananga mumaghumbo ghomikunda dhimweya.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Hakafumughana ngaharendarendanga mumukunda nohamwe harughanine kumafarama.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Apa wapungire mupepo, yipepa yodidhiro yakuramine kuyitundo nokundarata.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Hanu ngaharemananga kumakende ghokupayuka agha hamwaghire hanu kehedi hakuyuvire.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Diyuwa dimweya, pomba ghashaghekire kupita meyu noghakukutire. Mandini ghetu ghakarire mukunguru.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Tate ghayendire tunda dighumbo yenda dighumbo ghatongwere hanu hakuyende kuthigongi.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Hanu hahungumanine muthitondo thothikuru nohategherere.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Tate ghemanine nokughamba eshi, “Twanyanda kurughana pofotji mukukoshonona maghukukutu ghetu.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma ghomyaka kwokohatu, oyu ghahungumanine padighowa ghakugherire eshi, “Kukona nighamwene kukenitha.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Mbuyama ghofotji ghaghambire eshi, “Hambuyama kukona tukupakerere tukune yidya.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Katughuru ghumwe ghemanine nokughamba, “Hatutughuru ñanyi hakuthime dithima.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Twaheya twakugherere nodiywi dyofotji, “Twakona kutjindja ghukaro wetu.” Kutunda diyuwa ‘di twarughanine pofotji mukukoshonona maghukukutu 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: Ruthgela Shawanga, Servasius M. Ndjunga
Read by: Ruthgela Shawanga
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Ruthgela Shawanga, Servasius M. Ndjunga
Ruthgela Shawanga
Thimbukushu
Level 2
