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Tendai Rupapa-Senior Reporter

YOUTHFUL ARTISTS in Mabvuku and Tafara have joined the long list of people honouring First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa for her all-encompassing life-changing programmes across the country describing her as an Angel of hope who is touching lives. 

A sculptor, Mr Manuel Mutizwa, blessed the mother of the nation with a pricey artwork called “Helping hand” which depicts a person on high ground leaning over to lift up someone under her. Amai Mnangagwa is always keen to uplift areas that are looked down upon. 

The frame of the artwork is a letter “L” which the sculptor says represents the love that the First Lady is giving to all and sundry.

Mr Mutizwa said he had been offered lot of money for the piece by many people, but turned them down and saw it fit to give it to the First Lady in honour of the work she is doing for the country’s citizenry especially the less privileged.

“I operate from Old Tafara where I have a gallery called ‘Helping Hand’ which is the name of the piece I have given to the First Lady.

“I decided to give this piece to her because what it depicts is what the First Lady is doing. She is high up there helping people especially the vulnerable communities.

“The L represents love because she has love for the nation. The First Lady is helping the nation. People came trying to buy it from me, but it’s not all about money,” he said.

“This sculpture symbolises a hardworking woman who endeavours to see the uplifting of the girl child and all Zimbabweans in general. When natural disaster (Cyclone Idai) struck the people of Chimanimani Amai responded expeditiously and helped them through her Angel of Hope Foundation.

“She leaves her comfort zone to go to the people and help the disadvantaged and marginalised communities through empowering them economically,” he said. 

Another artist, Mr White Maruta, of Mabvuku gave the mother of the nation a painting which is pregnant with meaning.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Tino Machakaire look at some of the artworks of a Mabvuku artist Mr White Maruta. He also drew a portrait of Dr Mnangagwa in her doctorate conferment regalia and another one depicting her philanthropic works which are uplifting and changing lives of ordinary, marginalised, vulnerable and disadvantaged people.

“I did this for the First Lady because of the works she is doing. She once came here in Mabvuku at Donnybrook Primary School where she sat down with youths teaching them the do’s and don’ts of life, showing them the correct path to follow in life free of mischief.

“I happened to have been part of the youths she engaged on that day and I thought of coming up with an artwork to appreciate her efforts. I then came across a picture of her and in the picture she was feeding a malnourished child who was seated on her lap. I then did a painting of that image and on the sides i put some ‘Angel’s wings’.

“She is doing a lot for the people of Zimbabwe through her Angel of Hope Foundation. She is touching many lives and as youths we are grateful that is why we decided to honour her. She is a well that never runs dry as she is always helping people as the mother of the nation.

“If a child is crying, the child is comforted by the mother. In this picture, this child is a child who had challenges and cried out to Amai who then comforted him by feeding him. Amai Mnangagwa is an angel that covers the whole nation and it does not matter where one comes from because she covers everyone and solve their problems without being selective.

“I did this piece to show her some love and appreciating what she is doing for us especially youths in trying to correct our wayward behaviour. May God bless her and give her more years on earth so that we continue to learn life lessons from her,” he said.

The assistance Amai Mnangagwa has offered mainly to women and girls in Zimbabwe is the first of its kind as it has never been witnessed since the attainment of Independence in 1980 and the footprints are there for everyone to see. 

Through her Angel of Hope Foundation, she has done a lot of work to restore confidence in most people as she leads from the front in efforts to address poverty, diseases, gender based violence, inheritance disputes and health issues among many others.

As a mother, she is not selective and embraces all her children thus her programmes and projects are non-partisan.