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Tendai Rupapa in GOKWE

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday launched a Gokwe Chapter of her trailblazing Angel of Hope Foundation using grain and cattle she received from beneficiaries of her programmes including farming projects in Chief Njelele’s area for the benefit of the underprivileged.

It was a first-of-its-kind gesture, when Mrs Virginia Njelele wife to Chief Njelele and spouses of headmen from her community in Gokwe South gave the First Lady 15 tonnes of grain and cattle in appreciation of her hard work and farming inputs she gave them.

Women from Gokwe-Sengwa who now have thriving businesses and clubs, thanks to Amai Mnangagwa, also gave the First Lady cattle, bringing to four the number of beasts she received.

The women are grateful for the mother of the nation’s love, hard work, hands-on approach, humility and commitment to empower vulnerable groups mainly women and the girl child.

The list is endless.

Amai Mnangagwa accepted the gifts which she in turn used to form an Angel of Hope Foundation Chapter for Gokwe for the benefit of the underprivileged.

She encouraged other districts to work together and boost their potential, the same way the people of Gokwe had done.

The mother of the nation also held an interactive session with the community during which she hammered on the need to observe peace at all times and vote for President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF in the forthcoming elections slated for August 23.

She also gave voter education, telling prospective voters to write legibly and mark an “X” that does not go outside the box.

“When I first came here and met with the wives of chiefs and headmen, I encouraged them to work hard after I had given them inputs.

“When I came back I felt shy to ask whether they had put the inputs to good use. I was elated when I saw a letter from them inviting me here. It is the first time this has been done by spouses of chiefs and headmen,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa gave a brief on how she sought to revive the concept of women’s granaries at household level.

“I started working with the spouses of chiefs and headmen when I called them to the State House and we discussed various issues as women. I then gave them seed and all other inputs of various crops including traditional grains.

“I asked them to seek farming portions from chiefs so that they could grow crops and revive granaries for women at household level the same way chiefs grow crops under the Zunde Ramambo concept.

“I did this because when visitors arrive at homes they are welcomed by vanamai who see to it that they have eaten. I then introduced traditional cook out competitions using the traditional grains and we started at ward level and we went to national and regional competitions where other nations joined in.

“In these competitions as women we taught one another many things including recipes, types of traditional foods and their medicinal properties. I was in Britain recently and I saw our traditional foods and herbs being sold in their shops, I was elated. Therefore, as women let us do value addition and we will be assisted by ZimTrade to package and label them,” she said.

“I am glad to have been invited to Chief Njelele’s area and wish to thank his wife for working closely with other women from the community. I thank you for welcoming us to your homestead.

“I also thank you for the gifts you have given to the Angel of Hope Foundation. I thank you for your love. If we continue working hard, we will achieve the goals of vision 2030 as always said by President ED Mnangagwa.

“I am happy that women are working in groups doing various projects. Asi madzimai, when we work hard and generate income, this does not make us the heads of households. Let us respect our spouses and give them their rightful position in the family.

“You must work together and look after the family. Through my foundation I assist many vulnerable groups including those with disabilities who cannot work for themselves and those are some of the people who are going to be the beneficiaries of your gifts.

“I encourage other areas to copy what is being done here in Gokwe and initiate self-help projects. I thank you so much for your kind gesture and will always pray for you the same way you pray for me,” she said.

In launching the Angel of Hope Foundation chapter for Gokwe, Dr Mnangagwa said the aim was to benefit the underprivileged and the disabled.

“I will leave all you have given me here so that we assist those who do not have. I task Mrs Njelele and her team to list those who are going to benefit.

“I am leaving the cattle so that we open an Angel of Hope Foundation kraal to assist the people of Gokwe and vulnerable groups. If the cattle multiply we shall sell some and use the proceeds to pay fees for underprivileged children and the milk will benefit the children as well,” she said.

Mrs Njelele said the gift was a way of honouring the First Lady.

“I thank you for accepting our humble invitation Amai and for accepting our gifts. When our mother came here, she taught us many things including baking and sewing and encouraged us to form clubs and work in groups.

“Since then, we never sat on our laurels. Each woman started baking at their homesteads using traditional ovens which the First Lady launched for us. Women here have also started livestock rearing.

“As Gokwe women, we are working hard and can now even buy household furniture on our own, houses now have solar through Amai’s teachings and empowerment. As empowered women, we are so happy that we now have our granaries at homesteads and we said we need to donate 15 tonnes of grain to Amai.

“Our peers in Gokwe-Sengwa are now also doing wonders. We thank you for teaching us and we are succeeding because of you,” she said.

“We saw that our mother is being honoured by others outside the country. She is doing a lot of good work through Angel of Hope Foundation like looking after orphans, moulding families through Nharirire Yemusha programme and inculcating good manners in children through Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba Programme.

“She is doing a lot like teaching women to venture into income generating projects like rearing cattle, goats and farming in general. As the chief’s wife and headmen’s wives, we were gratified by what Amai is doing and we asked ourselves if we could do something good for her, whose works are being out there for everyone to see.

We saw it prudent to do good to her and surprise her with gifts. We also planted maize through the Agric4She programme being spearheaded by Amai who also gave us inputs,” she said.

Mrs Nyarai Mavima from Gokwe Sengwa said they learnt a lot through the First Lady.

“We learnt a lot of things through the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in terms of using our hands semadzimai. We are doing many projects in our constituencies like sewing, rearing chickens, cattle, goats.

“Our constituency has 33 districts and each district has up to 72 projects being done by women and initiated by the First Lady. The knowledge we were given by the First Lady helped us a lot and now we are earning income.

“As I speak there are some women who bought each other up to three cattle through mukando which Amai taught us. We learnt that a woman must help her husband to look after the family.

“We saw it fit to thank our mother because we are now able to look after our families. We back our mother because we have orphans, widows and the elderly who need help and we shall assist those in need,” she said.

Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Larry Mavima, said he was awestruck by the First Lady’s unconditional love.

“Today we are here to welcome our mother with love in the Midlands. We have gathered to see for ourselves and learn what love is. Without love there is no peace and development in the country.

“We are grateful as a country that we have a President and First Lady who are loving and hardworking. What is happening in the second republic shows love. They are helping people without leaving anyone or any place behind.

“I remember vividly when Amai launched Angel of Hope Foundation in 2018 that we are seeing accomplishing many tasks with love in the country. Amai has gone to those hard to reach areas and we can’t even match her energy and great works.

“She is doing a lot for the less privileged in Zimbabwe. Recently she was awarded in England which made us happy and proud as a nation because we have a hardworking mother. Today we have been gathered by chiefs and headmen’s wives in Gokwe South who are thanking the First Lady for her works,” he said.

Mrs Memory Mhundwa praised the First lady for her all-encompassing projects and love for the people which had seen her launch a Gokwe chapter of her trailblazing Angel of Hope Foundation.

“Our mother is touching the lives of many people through her work. She is helping communities grow by working for themselves and this is critical. She is moulding families and her regular interactive sessions where she speaks against drug abuse are close to my heart. We wish her a long life filled with success,” she said.

Similar words were echoed by Susan Vashingo of Gokwe.

“Our mother is doing exceptional things for us as a nation. She is fighting poverty through hard work and sowing the seeds of love wherever she goes. This Gokwe chapter she has launched will inculcate in us a sense of looking after those in need. Her love for the nation is just out of this world,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa donated maize-meal to everyone who came.

Traditional chiefs and the elderly also received food hampers, toiletries and blankets.

Pregnant women were given baby blankets.