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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter

WOMEN from the Doma community in Kanyemba gave tear-jerking accounts of how they previously never used soap and thought it was food when they saw it in shops.

Back then, they said they would soak grain and ferment it to make home-made “soap” to wash clothes and bath.

For cleaning dishes, the women said they only used ash.

The community made these revelations recently after First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa introduced them to petroleum jelly and detergent-making.

They are thankful to Dr Mnangagwa for introducing them to modern life.

They said when Amai Mnangagwa first visited them and gave them foodstuffs including rice, they never cooked it thinking it was farming inputs.

Kanyemba is located on the south bank of the Zambezi River where Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique meet just upstream of Lake Cahora Bassa.

The beneficiaries, hundreds of them, drawn from all the 31 villages in Kanyemba Ward 1 were awarded certificates and starter-packs to kick start their project following an intensive training programme courtesy of the First Lady’s Angel of Hope Foundation’s partnership with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development.

Filled with excitement and bubbling with joy, the beneficiaries that included widows, former ladies of the night, youths, those with disabilities, widows, orphans among other groups, thanked the First Lady for opening their eyes to new things and creating opportunities for them.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa shares a lighter moment while handing over a certificate of participation in detergents making and starter pack to an elderly woman in Kanyemba last week. The woman said before they were trained by Angel of Hope Foundation, many in her area always thought no black person could make detergents. – Pictures: John Manzongo

Mrs Torofina Kachepa said prior to the introduction of detergent-making by the First Lady, she thought liquid soap or bar soap was food.

“We are the Doma people and truly thank the First Lady for the programme that she has brought to us. We did not know about detergents, but we got to know courtesy of Amai. We would soak grain and ferment it to make home-made soap to wash our clothes.

“The First Lady has come to teach us to bath and do laundry using soap. We were far behind, but Amai’s love has opened our eyes. We would see these in shops, but not think it was soap.

“Previously, we also thought rice was a form of seed but the First Lady has taught us a lot as the Doma people. We now know how to cook using modern ingredients,” she said while shedding tears of joy.

The same sentiments were echoed by Mrs Catherine Chiponda who said though she has never been to a big city in her lifetime, she felt the First Lady had brought the capital city to her doorstep through various projects.

“I was born and bred here before marrying again in this community and have never been to Harare.

“Our mother, Amai Mnangagwa has brought Harare to Kanyemba and I was elated by the privilege to make petroleum jelly and detergents.

“Whenever we entered shops we thought liquid soap and petroleum jelly were made by machines only yet we can do wonders with our hands. Amai hatigone kuvatenda nerudo rwavo rwavanotiratidza as Doma community. We pray for her everyday so that God continues to bless and protect her for us,” she said.

Mrs Mariana Mukanete said she was looking forward to exporting detergents to Mozambique and Zambia to improve the welfare of her family and her community.

“I want to thank you for the detergent-making project you have brought to us Amai vedu. It will help us immensely. We shall export the detergents to Zambia and Mozambique and help my husband in looking after the family.

“We shall work together with my husband and help each to look after our family. With this project, I will help my husband to pay school fees for our children so that we send them all to school until they finish. We do not want our girls to drop out of school due to financial constraints.

“The moment she drops out of school, the next thing she thinks of is marriage. So to end child marriages, as parents we should let them grow, send them to school and they will marry later after acquiring their first ‘husband’ which is education,” she said with an air of excitement.

The same thoughts rang in Ms Itai Murarakwa who said she would share her newly-acquired knowledge in detergent-making with colleagues to improve their lives and ensure children did not have cracked skin in                                             winter.

“Where we are staying, we shall teach our relatives, other community members to make detergents and petroleum jelly. Our children will apply the petroleum jelly to prevent cracked skin in June.

“I thank you Amai for showing us that we can make soap and petroleum jelly using our hands. We thank you for this love and zeal to uplift our community,” she said.

Addressing the women, the First Lady said she was gratified because the women grasped most of the things she taught them.

“I greet you with happiness and say it’s a pleasure to meet you once again,” she said.

“I am happy with how smart you are and your clean environment shows you are putting to use what I teach you all the time. Today I have brought a detergent-making project for you to use as women.

“This project will promote unity by working in groups. I want you to utilise the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women’s Bank. They are there to help you so that your projects succeed. I am happy that those who were into prostitution have agreed to quit the world’s oldest profession and use their hands to earn a living.

“I do not encourage women to sit on their hands. I want women who are not lazy and are results oriented. I want to walk with hard workers because a woman has to work hard as her spouse’s helper. We say no to those who spend time on gossip which is destructive. It is my wish that you will invite me later to witness your success as businesswomen.

“We want women who are self-disciplined in terms of money and do not squander profits. I have also brought good relations and friendships among us. This project will unite us as we work together.

“The knowledge you acquired in detergent-making, the certificate you received and the starter-packs, make use of them. When selling you need customer care, good hospitality and have confidence in your products. When you make more money than your husband, what will you do.”

In response, Mrs Jabesi Musino said: “We combine and do our things together as baba na amai but if I discover that my husband is spending money on booze and women, I urge him to stay away from the project and I manage my project alone.”

However, the First Lady implored the women to always be submissive to their spouses.

A representative of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development implored the women to fully exploit the opportunity they had been presented with to learn and improve their welfare.

“Opportunities like these are rare and have become only possible because of Amai. As the Ministry of Women Affairs we are glad to be here in Kanyemba.

“Amai you have shown love to come here despite the humid conditions and you do not look at this because you want to be where your children are. Some women did not have anywhere to start from but you have brought training right to their doorstep and starter-packs. As a ministry we are happy to support you so that we uplift women. We trained many women and they are geared to go and start work,” she said.

Representing the Women’s Bank, Mrs Barbra Muyengwa took the women through financial literacy and the services they offer to women at the bank.