My first children's book: Feedback welcome!

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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>I want to touch the flower.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Nataka kugusa ua.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>She likes to touch the soft fabric.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Anapenda kugusa kitambaa laini.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>Do not touch the hot stove.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Usiguse jiko lenye moto.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>I play the piano.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Nacheza piano.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>She practices piano every day.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Anajifunza piano kila siku.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>The piano is a beautiful instrument.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Piano ni chombo kizuri sana.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>She plays the instrument beautifully.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Anapiga alatimia vizuri sana.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>He is learning how to play the instrument.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Anajifunza jinsi ya kupiga alatimia.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>The instrument is used in traditional music.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Alatimia hutumiwa katika muziki wa asili.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>I love to sing a song.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Napenda kuimba wimbo.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>She has a beautiful voice when she sings a song.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Ana sauti nzuri anapoimba wimbo.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>Playing music is a great way to relax.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Kucheza muziki ni njia nzuri ya kupumzika.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>One sunny day, Sarah and John decided to play tennis at the local court.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Siku moja ya jua, Sarah na John waliamua kucheza tennis kwenye uwanja wa karibu.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>Sarah had been practicing her backhand for weeks and was eager to show off her skills.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Sarah alikuwa amekuwa akijifunza backhand yake kwa wiki na alikuwa na hamu ya kuonyesha ujuzi wake.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>John, on the other hand, preferred using his mkono wa kushoto...

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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>A young coach was determined to improve her coaching skills.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Mwalimu mdogo alikuwa na azimio la kuboresha ustadi wake wa ualimu.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>She spent hours studying different coaching techniques and strategies.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Alitumia masaa mengi kujifunza mbinu na mikakati tofauti ya ualimu.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>During practice sessions, she applied what she had learned.</div>
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The Reading Lounge was well attended, the books were great and the popcorn was delicious.

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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>To be able to do</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>(Kuweza kufanya)</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>I wanted to learn Swahili</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Nilitaka kujifunza Kiswahili</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>I started taking lessons</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Nikaanza kuchukua masomo</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>I practiced...

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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>I drink coffee every morning.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Ninakunywa kahawa kila asubuhi.</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>Do you want to go to the coffee shop with me?</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Unataka kwenda kwenye duka la kahawa pamoja nami?</div>
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<div class='fw-bold fs-4 text-primary'>I like my coffee black.</div>
<div class='mt-1 fs-4 fw-bold border-bottom border-2 border-dark'>Napenda kahawa yangu nyeusi.</div>
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...

I am learning swahili!

I am learning swahili!

I am learning swahili!

We decided to host FREE open play at various times throughout the day!

The local tennis community came out in full force to try Pickleball, and most everyone loved it. In an effort to further promote the courts we distributed flyers and posters to hotels and restaurants, and we are now waiting for our first event to see if any visitors to Arusha (tourists) show up.

To build Pickleball courts at the AICC Club in Arusha, Tanzania, we worked with the local tennis pros. They are intrigued to add the sport and agreed to let us turn one of the tennis courts into a multi-sport court.

To demo the sport we made lines using masking tape and re-purposed a mini-tennis net using chairs. Once the sport was determined to be fun, we met with a local metal worker to create custom net posts that could be used with either a tennis net, mini-tennis net or badminton net.

The first attempt was close but we had to bring the nets back to add a reinforcement (through an angled support beam) in order to keep tension in the net. The second attempt worked great so we contracted two more sets (to get three courts).

The next step is to address the cracks in the court and then paint...more updates as that process unfolds.

We have worked with the local Arusha tennis community for the past year. The coaches are great and with minimal support they are offering a wide range of very high quality youth tennis programs. Recently, a small group of Los Angeles based tennis players donated over 30 tennis rackets, hundreds of grips, 5 reels of strings, hundreds of tennis balls and a few pairs of shoes. It is exciting to see how well this equipment is being used by the coaches and passionate athletes. The students participating in the program range from highly experienced to beginners playing tennis for the first time. Photos and videos can be seen at the instagram account tennis4life_tz

Given how successful our tennis partnership has been, we wondered if the coaches would be interested in trying Pickleball. Last week Maktaba.org (in partnership with Elimu Yetu) helped build 3 custom Pickleball nets (and we are painting lines). Additionally, we have 12 paddles and a bag full of pickleballs...and we are...

You may have noticed some changes to our homepage.

We added a sections for groups within our site. We have popular books, and MOST IMPORTANTLY...it should load faster.

Please let us know your thoughts.

Are there other pages that you think we should improve? We would love your feedback!

Once upon a time long ago, there was a beautiful, intelligent and kind young woman named Portia. Many men wanted to marry her and came to woo her. Portia’s father had died and left behind a will instructing that any suitor of Portia would have to choose among three caskets, one of gold, one of silver and one of lead. Only the suitor who chose correctly would be allowed to marry Portia and inherit all her father’s wealth. One day, the Prince of Morocco came to woo Portia.

The Merchant of Venice

by William Shakespeare
Act II, Scene 7
Watch ▶️ on YouTube 

Portia: Go draw aside the curtains and discover
The several caskets to this noble prince.
Now make your choice.
Prince of Morocco: The first, of gold, who this inscription bears,
“'Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire;'”

 The second, silver, which this promise carries,
“ 'Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves;'”

 This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt,
“ 'Who chooseth me must give and hazard all...

Compare this simple, humble basket of fruit with a bag of lollipops. The fruit is ripe, juicy, packed full of vitamins -- it just sells itself. The lollipops, on the other hand, scream for our attention with explosive slogans and neon colors. But underneath the shiny packaging, it's really just plain sugar with some food coloring and artificial flavors.

Like other primates, humans find fruit attractive because it gives us energy and nutrition. Candy gives us energy, but it doesn't give us real nutrition. It just does a very clever job pretending to be fruit. Don't fall for it!

A good thing doesn't need to advertise, because quality speaks for itself. As the economists would say, demand exceeds supply.  Many advertisements seems to promise us happiness, beauty, love, wealth or respect. But ask yourself, does the ad promise more than the product can really deliver? Coca-Cola isn't a love potion.

This proverb reminds us of the enduring value of true quality and competence over...

na Mélanie N. Mama, mama, mama! 
     Nuru ya mtu ni mama. Ukimkosa mama imezima nuru. Aheshimiwe mama, katika dunia hakuna kitu cha kumwakilisha. 
     Angeweza kutoa mimba yako akabaki kuwa kijana.Ila alivumilia mpaka miezi tisa ya kujifungua akakuweka ulimwenguni. Husaidia Mungu kumuumba mtu. Hakujali maumivu ya kujifungua, umbo lake, sura yake, umri wake, vyote vyake mwilini mwake vilibadirika ili upate uhai. Mama hufanya chini-juu ili upate afya njema. Alifanya kila liwezekanalo ili upate elimu ya kutosha. Huacha kile ambacho kingemfurahisha ili uwe mtu. Hushinda shambani ili upate cha kutia mdomoni. Mheshimu mama aliyekutunza hadi hapo ulipofika. 
     Kwa hiyo unatoa wapi ujasili wa kumtukana mama yako unamdharau mama yako ili umheshimu nani? Eti ungetangulia mbele yake ungemzaa. Kweli? Usijiidanganye. Atukae mama yake hujikosesha baraka. Kuwa makini vijana wa leo, msijitafutie mikosi na hasara visivyo na msingi ambavyo havitomalizika. Hata kama unamzidi elimu, mama anabaki...

One day a renown businessman wanted to hire an assistant. He received many resumes, but only two candidates met his high standards: Alice and Bob. To help him decide, he called both, and they each agreed to come in for an interview the following morning. "9 AM. Look sharp and don't be late." The manager warned.

The next morning Alice woke up early, donned her best suit and got to the village bus station at 8:00am. "Better safe than sorry," she thought.  On the way to town, the front of the minibus began to smoke. The driver pulled over in the bush and told all the passengers to get out. Just then it started to rain. Alice tried to wave down each bus that passed, but they were all full, so she had to walk on foot. 9am came and went, but Alice was still miles from town and the rain was getting harder. "I must keep going." she thought, "Better late than never."

Meanwhile in town, Bob woke up in his apartment, and saw the sun was high in the sky. He sat up suddenly. "Oh no! Why did my...

Imagine you woke up late for a job interview. What would you do? Would you scramble to get dressed and make it to the meeting as quickly as possible? Or would you think "Forget it, it's not worth going at all now"? Next time you think "It's too late" try telling yourself "Better late than never."

For example, this Proverb of the Day was posted late, but at least you're reading it now - Thanks!

na Alfred N. Hapo zamani za kale katika Kijiji cha NYAMAGOMA ,kulitokea binti moja anayeitwa SUDI Aneti ambaye katika maisha yao ya kila siku alikuwa akitamaani maisha ya raha tu. Alikuwa na  Tabia ya kuwachuna wanaume kwa kuwaomba pesa nyingi.Alipoona hayo hayatoshi aliamua kujiunga na ushirikina na kuenda kwa waganga wa kienyeji kwa lengo la kuzitafuta pesa nyingi kwa muda mfupi. Ni ukweli pesa aliipata tena ya kutosha Ila ikawa ni ya masharti .wazazi wake walijaribu kumshauri aachane na ushirikina huo bali aanzishe miradi yake huku akianzia kwa vinavyolingana na uwezo wake hakuwasikiliza.Alieendelea kuyaishi maisha hayo,huku matatizo yakawa yanamkuta kila wakati,ilifika kiasi mizimu ikamuomba uhai wa mama yake kama kafara naye akakataa kata kwa ubadaye Mali zote zilipoptea akafikia hatua ya kujuta akiukumbuka ushauli alioupewa na wazazi wake.angelikubali kulidhika na mali zinazokuja taratibu yasingelimkuta hayo yote kwa ukweli CHURURU SI NDONDONDO

Chururu...

Siku moja, mfanyabiashara mashuhuri alitafuta msaidizi. Alipokea maombi na CV za watu wengi sana, lakini wawili tu walikidhi vigezo: Amina na Baraka. Ili kuamua kati yao, aliwaita wote wawili, na akawaalika waje kwaajili ya mahojiano ya ajira, kesho yake asubuhi. "Saa tatu kamili -- vaa mavazi ya kazi, na usichelewe!" Akawaonya.

Kesho yake Ali aliwahi kuamka, akavaa suti yake nzuri, na alipanda basi kijijini kwake saa 2. "Bora kinga kuliko tiba" alifikiria. Njiani kuelekea mjini, basi ilianza kutoa moshi. Abira wote walishuka na waliachwa porini. Hapo hapo mvua ilianza kunyesha. Kila basi lililompita, Ali akaomba nafasi, lakini, kutokana na hali ya hewa, mabasi yote yalikuwa yameshajaa. Kwa hivyo ikabidi atembee kwa miguu. Ilipotimia saa tatu, bado Ali alikuwa mbali na mji, na mvua ikawa kali zaidi na zaidi. "Lazima niendelee" akajiambia, "Bora kuchelewa kuliko kukosa kabisa."

Wakati huohuo mjini, Baraka aliamka ghorofani kwake, na akashtuka ghafla akiona jua lilikuwa limeshafika...

Fikiria kama umechelewa Mahojiano ya Ajira. Ungefanyaje? Next time unapofikiri "Nimeshachelewa" jiambie "Bora kuchelewa kuliko kukosa kabisa."

Kwa mfano makala hii ya Methali ya Siku ilichelewa, lakini sasa unaisoma - Asante!

Celebrate World Swahili Day by voting in our Proverb Essay Contest and learning Swahili!
➡️ Read the Essays here ⬅️

Click ❤️ to Cast your Vote  

We are so excited about the amazing essays we've gotten from you all in English and Swahili!  To all the participants, we say THANK YOU and congratulations on your great work! 
Read the essays and vote for your favorites now - the 3 essays with the most ❤️s will receive cash prizes!

We've published all the essays submitted so far here : www.maktaba.org/contest/essay
Share this link with your friends. Anyone can create a free account in seconds and cast their vote by clicking ❤️. You can vote for as many essays as you like!

To enable both Swahili and English speakers to participate, I've added a comment to each essay with a rough translation. Click on an essay from this page and scroll down to see the translation. (You must be logged in to see comments)

Today is the deadline to send your submission for our Proverb Essay Contest!...

Heri ya sikukuu ya Saba Saba! Sherehekea kwa kupiga kura katika shindano la insha ya methali
➡️ Soma insha zote hapa ⬅️

Bongeza ❤️ ili kupiga kura  

Tumefurahi sana sana kusoma insha zote tulizopokea kutoka kwenu. Kwa wote walioshiriki tunasema Asanteni na hongereni kwa kazi nzuri!
Zisome na upige kura kwa insha zozote unazozipenda. Insha tatu zitakazopata ❤️ nyingi zaidi kabla ya tarehe 15/7/23 zitapokea zawadi za pesa!

Insha zote zilizowasilishwa zinaonekana sasa hapa: www.maktaba.org/shindano/insha
Karibuni mshirki link hii (kiungo) na marafiki zako na wengine. Mtu yeyote anaweza kufungua akaunti haraka bila malipo ili aweze kupiga kura kwa kubongeza ❤️. Unaweza kupigia kura kwa insha zozote unazozipenda!

Leo ndio tarehe ya mwisho ya kuwasilisha insha yako kwa Shindano la Insha ya Methali! Tafadhali wasilisha insha yako juu ya methali yoyote kwa tuzo@maktaba.org leo! (Kiingereza au Kiswahili).
Jifunze Kiswahili leo Siku ya Kiswahili Duniani (Rasilimali bila malipo)

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Swali: Je, umejifunza zaidi kutoka kwa wazazi wako ama kupitia uzoefu wako ulimwenguni?

Methali hii hutumika wakati mtu amekosa na kupata madhara, haswa kama ameonywa... kama vile dereva wa lori katika picha hii (kutoka Oxfordshire, Uingereza). Bila kujali kama ulifunzwa na wazazi, hatimaye lazima ukabiliane na ukweli wa maisha halisi. Ona pia: Mtoto akilia wembe, mpe

Kuna shairi lililotungwa na Akilimali Snow-White juu ya methali hii:
ASOFUNZWA NA WAZAZI, HUFUNZWA NA ULIMWENGU
na Akilimali Snow-White

Zama walinipumbaza, wazee kwa kunilea,
Nikashindwa kujifunza, myendo mipya ya dunia,
Leo najipendekeza, kwa walimwengu sikia,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Kazi zote singeweza, bila kuwanyenyekea,
Kutii kuwembeleza, kisha kuwatumikia,
Hata nikawapendeza, wakanifunza kwa nia,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Sasa kusema naweza, Kizungu bila udhia,
Kama vile Kingereza, na lugha zingine pia,
Kwa juhudi najifunza, hata zimenielea,
Asofunzwa na wazazi,...