Motsana wa heso o ne o na le mathata a mangata. Re ne re etsa mola o molelele ho ya kga metsi pompong e le nngwe.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Re ne re emela dijo tseo batho ba bang ba nehelanang ka tsona.
We waited for food donated by others.
Re ne re notlela matlo a rona kapele ka baka la mashodu.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Bana ba bangata ba ile ba tlohela sekolo.
Many children dropped out of school.
Bananyana ba ne ba sebetsa jwaloka bathusi matlong metsaneng e meng.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Bashanyana bona ba ne ba sasanka motsaneng ha ba bang ba ne ba sebetsa dipolasing.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Ha moya o foka, matlakala a dipampiri a ne a ikaneha difateng le difenseng.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Batho ba ne ba sehwa ke dikgalase tse neng di lahlelwa bohlaswa fatshe.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Ka tsatsi le leng pompo ya se tswe metsi mme ditshelo tsa rona tsa omella.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Ntate wa ka a kena ntlo le ntlwana ho memela batho ba motsaneng kopanong.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Batho ba bokana ka tlasa sefate se seholo, ba mamela.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
“Re tlameha ho sebetsa mmoho ho rarolla mathata a rona.” Ho rialo ntate.
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Juma ya dilemo di robedi ya neng a dutse kutung ya sefate a hweletsa a re, “Nka thusa ka ho hlwekisa.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Mosadi e mong yena a re, “Nka sebetsa le bomme ba bang ho lema meroho le ditholwana.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Ntate e mong yena a re, “Bontate ba ka epa sediba.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Bohle ra hweletsa ka lentswe leng ra re, “Re lokela ho fetola maphelo a rona.” Ho tloha tsatsing leo re ile ra sebetsa mmoho ho rarolla mathata a rona.
We all shouted with one voice, “We must change our lives.”
From that day we worked together to solve our problems.
