Yo ke Khalai. O ngwaga tse supa. Leina la gagwe le emetse’ yo o siameng’ka puo ya gagwe, Lubukusu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Khalai o tsoga mo mosong a bua le setlhare sa dilamune.”Tsweetswee setlhare sa dilamune, gola o nne motonna o re neye dilamune tse dintsi tse di buduleng.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai o ya kwa sekolong. Mo tseleng o tla a bua le bojang.”Tsweetswee bojang, gola o nne botala gape o seka wa omelela.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai o feta fa ditsheseng tsa naga. Tsweetswee ditshese, tswelelang ka go thunya gore ke kgone go lo pega mo tlhogong ya me.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Fa sekolong, Khalai o bua le setlhare se se fa gare ga dikago.”Tsweetswee setlhare, dira dikala tse ditonna gore re kgone go bala ka fa tlhase ga seriti sa gago.”
At school, Khalai talks to the tree in the middle of the compound. “Please tree, put out big branches so we can read under your shade.”
Khalai o bua le jarata e e dirilweng ka ditlhare go dikologa sekolo.”Tsweetswee golang lo tie lo kganeleng batho ba ba bosula go tsena moteng.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Fa Khalai a tswa kwa sekolong, o etela setlhare sa dilamune.”A dilamune tsa gago ga di ise di butswe?” go botsa Khalai.
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
”Dilamune di santse di le botala ,”Khalai a fegelwa.”Ke tla go bona kamoso setlhare sa dilamune,”go bua Khalai.”Gongwe o tla nnela lamune e e buduleng!”
“The oranges are still green,” sighs Khalai. “I will see you tomorrow orange tree,” says Khalai. “Perhaps then you will have a ripe orange for me!”
