Maliit na Binhi: Ang Kuwento niMaliit na Binhi: Ang Kuwento niWangari MaathaiWangari Maathai

A Tiny Seed: The Story ofA Tiny Seed: The Story ofWangari MaathaiWangari Maathai

Nicola Rijsdijk Maya Marshak Karla Comanda Tagalog / English Level 3

Sa isang nayon sa libis ng Bundok Kenyasa Silangang Africa, may isang batangbabaeng nagtrabaho sa bukid kasama ngkanyang ina. Wangari ang pangalan niya.

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In a village on the slopes of Mount Kenyain East Africa, a little girl worked in thefields with her mother. Her name wasWangari.

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Mahilig lumabas si Wangari. Sa gulayanng kanyang pamilya, hinughog niya anglupa gamit ang kanyang matsete.Nagpunla siya ng maliliit na buto samainit na lupa.

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Wangari loved being outside. In herfamily’s food garden she broke up the soilwith her machete. She pressed tiny seedsinto the warm earth.

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Ang paborito niyang panahon ay angdapit-hapon. Alam ni Wangari na oras napara umuwi kapag masyado nangmadilim para tingnan ang mga halaman.Sinusundan niya ang makipot na daan sakabukiran at binabagtas ang ilog sakanyang pag-uwi.

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Her favourite time of day was just aftersunset. When it got too dark to see theplants, Wangari knew it was time to gohome. She would follow the narrow pathsthrough the fields, crossing rivers as shewent.

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Matalino si Wangari at sabik siyangpumasok sa eskuwela. Ngunit nais ng inaat ama niya na manatili siya sa bahay attulungan sila. Noong siya ay pitong taonggulang, hinikayat ng kuya niya angkanilang mga magulang na papasukinsiya sa eskuwela.

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Wangari was a clever child and couldn’twait to go to school. But her mother andfather wanted her to stay and help themat home. When she was seven years old,her big brother persuaded her parents tolet her go to school.

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Mahilig siyang matuto! Dumami ngdumami ang natutunan ni Wangari sabawat librong binasa niya. Sa sobranghusay niya sa kanyang pag-aaral,inimbitahan siyang mag-aral sa EstadosUnidos ng Amerika. Nasiyahan si Wangari!Marami pa siyang gustong malamantungkol sa mundong ginagalawan niya.

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She liked to learn! Wangari learnt moreand more with every book she read. Shedid so well at school that she was invitedto study in the United States of America.Wangari was excited! She wanted to knowmore about the world.

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Maraming bagong natutunan si Wangarisa pamantasan sa Amerika. Pinag-aralanniyang husto ang mga halaman at kungpaano sila lumaki. At naalala niya kungpaano siya lumaki: nakipaglaro siya sakanyang mga kuya sa ilalim ng mga punong magagandang kagubatan sa Kenya.

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At the American university Wangari learntmany new things. She studied plants andhow they grow. And she remembered howshe grew: playing games with herbrothers in the shade of the trees in thebeautiful Kenyan forests.

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Habang dumarami ang kaalaman niya,mas napagtanto niya na mahal niya angkanyang mga kababayan sa Kenya. Gustoniyang maging masaya sila at malaya.Habang dumarami ang kaalaman niya,mas naalala niya ang kanyang Aprikanongtahanan.

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The more she learnt, the more sherealised that she loved the people ofKenya. She wanted them to be happy andfree. The more she learnt, the more sheremembered her African home.

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Nang matapos siya sa kanyang pag-aaral,bumalik siya sa Kenya. Ngunit nagbago naang kanyang bayan. Dumukwang angmga bukid sa kahabaan ng lupa. Walangpanggatong para sa pagluluto ang mgakababaihan. Naghihirap ang mga tao atgutom ang mga bata.

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When she had finished her studies, shereturned to Kenya. But her country hadchanged. Huge farms stretched across theland. Women had no wood to makecooking fires. The people were poor andthe children were hungry.

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Alam ni Wangari kung ano ang dapatgawin. Tinuruan niya ang mgakababaihang magtanim ng puno mula samga binhi. Ibinenta ng mga kababaihanang mga puno at ginamit ang kanilangpinagkakitaan para alagaan ang kanilangpamilya. Natuwa ang mga kababaihan.Tinulungan sila ni Wangari na magingmalakas at maniwala sa sarili nilangkapangyarihan.

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Wangari knew what to do. She taught thewomen how to plant trees from seeds. Thewomen sold the trees and used the moneyto look after their families. The womenwere very happy. Wangari had helpedthem to feel powerful and strong.

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Lumipas ang panahon at nagingkagubatan ang mga puno, at umagosnang muli ang mga ilog. Lumaganap angmensahe ni Wangari sa Aprika. Ngayon,milyung-milyong mga puno angtumutubo salamat sa mga binhi niWangari.

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As time passed, the new trees grew intoforests, and the rivers started flowingagain. Wangari’s message spread acrossAfrica. Today, millions of trees have grownfrom Wangari’s seeds.

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Nagsumikap nang husto si Wangari.Napansin ito ng mga tao sa buong mundoat binigyan siya ng bantog na gantimpala.Ito ay ang Nobel Peace Prize, at siya angkauna-unahang babaeng Aprikana nanakatanggap nito.

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Wangari had worked hard. People all overthe world took notice, and gave her afamous prize. It is called the Nobel PeacePrize, and she was the first African womanever to receive it.

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Pumanaw si Wangari noong 2011, peromaaari natin siyang alalahanin sa tuwingmakakakita tayo ng magandang puno.

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Wangari died in 2011, but we can think ofher every time we see a beautiful tree.

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Storybooks CanadaStorybooks Canadastorybookscanada.ca

Maliit na Binhi: Ang Kuwento ni Wangari MaathaiMaliit na Binhi: Ang Kuwento ni Wangari Maathai

A Tiny Seed: The Story of Wangari MaathaiA Tiny Seed: The Story of Wangari MaathaiWritten by: Nicola Rijsdijk

Illustrated by: Maya MarshakTranslated by: (tl) Karla Comanda

This story originates from the African Storybook (africanstorybook.org) andis brought to you by Storybooks Canada in an effort to provide children’sstories in Canada’s many languages.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.