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Tendai Rupapa in BULAWAYO

FIRST AID helps prevent medical conditions from deteriorating before advanced care arrives, helps relieve pain, and provides reassurance to patients and their families.

It is with this in mind that Health Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s Angel of Hope Foundation partnered Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) to equip women, girls, youths and men countrywide with skills in advanced first aid.

The mother of the nation is herself a holder of a certificate in First Aid having graduated recently in Harare.

Amai Mnangagwa is committed to saving lives as witnessed by the various programmes she undertakes countrywide.

Therefore, the first aid training compliments her line of duty by equipping her with the requisite knowledge to provide basic care for patients anywhere, anytime.

Yesterday, there was jubilation in Bulawayo as 200 pioneers of the training programme, which will be cascaded to all provinces countrywide, graduated with the First Lady in attendance.

Among the graduates were some men, showing that the programme was all-encompassing and leaving no place and no one behind.

Modules covered include Basic Industrial First Aid, Advanced First Aid and Basic Mining First Aid.

A hands-on person with the passion for humanitarian work and quest to save lives saw the First Lady attending the event while resplendent in her Red Cross uniform as a way of motivating other graduates.

ZRCS secretary-general Mr Elias Hwenga paid tribute to the mother of the nation for her empowerment initiatives.

“We want to congratulate the First Lady Dr Mnangagwa whose vision we are witnessing the fruits today through this graduation. The First Lady actually enrolled and successfully completed a course in Basic Industrial First Aid and she requested for the same training to be cascaded at grassroots so as to benefit the communities. As the Red Cross, we pride ourselves in being everywhere for everyone and the sample of graduands who are here today attest to this.

“This shows how important first aid is for everyone. The graduation of these 200 women here today aligns well with sustainable development goal number five which speaks on bridging the gender disparities and according women equal opportunities. The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is a first aid training service provider of choice, providing appropriate, evidence-based first aid and health care training services to all sectors in Zimbabwe. Because we strongly believe that everyone has a potential to save life, we aim to train as many people as possible in first aid in Zimbabwe as provision of First Aid and nurse aide training services is one of our key mandates aimed at saving lives,” he said.

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Bulawayo Judith Ncube hands over certificates to graduates trained in Industrial First Aid through the partnership between Angel of Hope Foundation and Red Cross in Bulawayo yesterday

Mr Hwenga said ZRCS offered quality first aid education and services which were delivered according to up-to-date evidence based guidelines and best practice.

“Our courses are flexible and we always adapt to local context with respect to gender and diversity.

“To you all women in Zimbabwe, I have a request to make; be trained in First Aid. No single life is worth losing because no one was able to offer first aid. I salute you Amai, the First Lady for leading the way. Bearing in mind that no one of us is as strong as all of us together, it is imperative that we continue working together for the good of humanity,” he said.

In her address to the graduates, the First Lady shared that after completing her education, she had set sights on being a nurse but this was not to be.

“When I was trained by the Red Cross, they asked me what I wanted to do. I said I wanted to be a nurse since the time I finished school but it failed because of circumstances but it remained in my mind. Today, gladly I am now able to save lives,” she said to applause.

Dr Mnangagwa said ZRCS had agreed to take the programme to grassroots level in all provinces to train women, men and youths, starting with Bulawayo.

“So Bulawayo, you didn’t embarrass me and I know what you went through needed determination and commitment. We also look forward to seeing you doing it.”

The idea behind, Dr Mnangagwa said, was that accidents happen every day around the home and even in the cattle pen.

“We are saying first aid first. Some of us didn’t manage to have any certificates from school but there is always a beginning to everything. This is a road that you have started, you have to walk the road. You have to be disciplined.”

The mother of the nation said she was now happy that she was now able to do everything to save life.

“I want to say to you, congratulations, and make sure you don’t forget this. This is something that you are going to move with in your life,” she said.

Beneficiaries of the Angel of Hope Foundation and Red Cross partnership proudly display their certificates after their graduation in Industrial First Aid in Bulawayo yesterday

The mother of the nation said she had visited Bulawayo to support the students and inspire many others to follow suit.

“I have come here to Bulawayo to support the students that have undergone the Red Cross training which I also did in Harare. I did it so that women could see that they can do anything in life and the sky is the limit. I targeted women, girls, youths and men because accidents happen everywhere to everyone. We as women are faced with difficulties with the loss of lives and we meet this everywhere we go, be it at the well, herding cattle and other accidents that occur in or near our homes.

“We asked the Red Cross to train the grassroots because they also need to be educated and be aware of what happens around them. The training they received is not for them to rush and serve outside the country, it is for them to work in their country and save lives because Zimbabwe needs those skills. We are also saying to our hospitals; can they also take these students?

“They are now nurses, they are qualified, they can now stop bleeding, they know where the pulse is, they can check sugar levels, hypertension. They can prepare the patient before she can be taken to the hospital. We are saying first aid first because when the ambulance comes life would have already been saved. So we are saying everybody in the country should also know what first aid is because we are saving a life. We cannot lose lives because we are not trained,” she said.

Beneficiaries of the training programme punched the air with excitement.

Mrs Ronah Mungwini (55) said she lacked the right words to thank the First Lady for what she had done for her.

“I am thankful to the First Lady for the first aid course that she made us attend. I am thankful because she did not look at one’s age. I have no teeth but Amai did not look at this. I feel so elated because in my family we lost some relatives through accidents because we lacked knowledge on how to assist, but now we have somewhere to start from. I did not go to school because of circumstances and I feel happy I am now a proud holder of a certificate and I can now look for a job,” she said.

Her views dovetailed with those of Mrs Elizabeth Mapani (69).

“I am so happy that Amai did not consider that I am now old with grandchildren. She allowed us to study and earn these certificates that we now have. When I come across an accident I will know where to start from and how to assist others. At football matches children are injured and we can assist them, the same way we assist people involved in accidents. I am now able to render first aid to my grandchildren at home when they fall sick before I take them to the clinic or hospital,” she said.

Beneficiaries of the Angel of Hope Foundation and Red Cross partnership demonstrate their newly acquired skills in Industrial First Aid during their graduation in Bulawayo yesterday

Equally elated was Mr Arnold Sucutai.

“First of all I would like to thank our First lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa for the training where we learnt how to handle casualties. We now know how to protect ourselves and treat sicknesses at home. We thank her for economically empowering us because we can now be employed in clinics, hospitals and as ambulance technicians. Mama, us as the beneficiaries of your programme, we would like to say thank you for your kindness, compassion and not leaving anyone behind. May God bless you,” he said.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Judith Ncube, gave the First Lady special recognition for leading by example by enrolling for the same training and graduating as a certified first aider.

Health and Childcare Ambassador, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, Minister of State for Bulawayo Province Judith Ncube and Red Cross Zimbabwe president Mr Edson Mlambo, follow proceedings during the graduation of 200 beneficiaries trained in Industrial First Aid in Bulawayo yesterday. — Pictures: John Manzongo

She said it was a good example for women in Zimbabwe to take initiatives that assist communities in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo, Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo”.

“As a province we pride ourselves as the pioneers of this project which will surely bear many fruits in years to come. Many people will indeed benefit from the intervention as it will also be a huge contribution to our health delivery system for our communities,” she said.