First Lady remembers Esigodini fire victims, deplores burning of forests A nurse administers a contraceptive to a woman during the belated World Contraceptive Day officiated by Health and Child Care Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Rushinga yesterday

Tendai Rupapa in RUSHINGA

Environmental patron Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday observed a moment of silence in honour of 10 farm workers who were killed by a veld fire in Esigodini, Matabeleland South Province, on Monday and warned communities against indiscriminately cutting down trees and burning forests.

She made the remarks on the sidelines of belated World Contraceptives Day commemoration where she held an interactive session with the community, tackling thorny issues like family planning, gender-based violence (GBV) and child marriages that are rife in the area.

World Contraceptives Day is marked on September 26 annually and centres around a vision where every pregnancy is planned.

The commemoration seeks to demonstrate the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s commitment to raising awareness on contraception, especially highlighting that family planning does not translate to stopping child bearing, but promotes spacing.

The theme for this year’s event was: “Contraception – It’s Your Life, It’s Your Responsibility.”

The First Lady said; “Let us remember them saying may their dear souls rest in eternal peace. People of Mashonaland Central Province, the burning of trees and forests is not good. Ten people were burnt to death yesterday.

“When I was on my way here I saw all forests burnt. I am touched by the case of people who died putting out a fire that had been started by someone. This is really painful.”

Women queue for contraceptives during a belated World Contraceptive Day which was officiated by Health and Child Care Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Rushinga yesterday. – Pictures: John Manzongo

Before addressing the gathering, the mother of the nation toured exhibition stands of departments and organisations offering family planning and other health services.

She met and interacted with those seeking services, giving them words of advice and encouragement.

Services which were on offer included family planning, cancer screening, HIV testing, measles immunisation and provision of vitamin A supplements.

Also on offer was Covid-19 testing and vaccination and voluntary medical male circumcision, among other health procedures.

The First Lady, who is also the country’s health ambassador, said she felt honoured to officiate at the belated commemoration of the World Contraception Day.

“World Contraception Day (WCD) is a global campaign with a vision to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted. The major thrust is to enhance awareness on contraception with more emphasis on encouraging everyone, male or female to make informed decisions on sexual and reproductive health.

“Let me also highlight that contraceptive use should not be interpreted as discouraging families to have the number of children they want. Actually, our encouragement is for families to continue giving birth, taking due diligence on the planning and spacing of such births,” the First Lady said.

Girls queue for reusable sanitary wear distributed during the belated World Contraceptive Day in Rushinga yesterday

As families plan, Dr Mnangagwa said, they should seek advice and guidance from those in charge of providing family planning services like the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council.

“Use of contraceptives reduces the reproductive health challenges among women. It should be noted that most women are faced with unprecedented challenges among them high levels of unwanted pregnancies which may result in unsafe abortions, dropping out of school, unplanned marriages and to some extent abandoning of babies.

“Exposure to unprotected sexual intercourse also increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV infection. Thus, it should be noted that ensuring universal access to family planning and reproductive health services reduces the levels of maternal mortality, infant mortality, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions.

“Ultimately the country benefits in the form of economic growth, a productive and educated workforce, as well as achieving an upper middle-class status as envisioned in our Vision 2030. In this regard, family planning plays a critical role in reducing poverty and driving economic growth,” she said.

The First Lady praised traditional leaders, community leaders and religious leaders for upholding the socio-cultural values that bind everyone.

“I encourage communities to take care of adolescents and youth as they are the future of the country. A healthy youthful population guarantees a prosperous nation,” she said.

This year’s commemorations placed emphasis on empowering men and women of reproductive age to take charge of their reproductive health choices and decisions which have a bearing on their future.

“To all the young adults here present, as a mother I say to you, let us be responsible and ensure that we abstain as well as valuing our bodies as these are the temple of God. Contraceptive use should be a safety measure when we have failed to contain the pressure of abstinence,” she said.

Thousands of people follow proceedings during an address and interactive session with First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa at the belated World Contraceptive Day Rushinga yesterday

During the interactive session, the First Lady sought to know whether or not the people understood family planning.

“How do you understand the issue that is before us? Choice of method is yours and do you understand it? Men do you want this issue or you want your wives to bear children endlessly? Is it bad to rest the woman’s body?

“You women, would you have agreed with your spouses to have many children? You who have just married, have you discussed as to the number of children you want? As a mother-in-law, are you the one to tell your son and his wife the number of children to have? Let us discuss so that we build our homes and families,” Dr Mnangagwa said.

A newly-married man, who took part in yesterday’s interactive session, said he fully embraced contraception.

“I welcome the issue of contraceptives because if you fail to control the family you will not be able to provide for it. I have just married and I have agreed with my wife that we will have three children,” he said.

An elderly discussant praised the First Lady for her teachings.

“I thank you for coming to teach us because contraception is your life, your responsibility.

“I want my daughter-in-law to discuss with her husband and it’s not for me to do so. As a mother-in-law, I can only voice concern when they start bearing children as if they are in a competition without spacing,” she said.

The First Lady weighed in saying it was critical to space children and not have many children one could not manage to look after.

“It is also important to know and understand the type of method you want to use with the assistance of health authorities,” she said.

During the discussions one woman highlighted that some people did not space their children and were finding it difficult to send them to school.

The First Lady drew laughter when she said: “If you have many children and spend much of your time pregnant, will you get time to work for the family? Family planning is important as it also gives you time to rest the body.”

Mr Tashinga Chimbunu said he encouraged newly-married couples to space their children.

“I encourage newly-married people to space their children. I agreed with my wife that we needed two children but she wants many thinking I would divorce her if she bears less children,” he said.

The First Lady counselled couples saying having many children would not increase love and had its own attendant health challenges.

An elderly discussant drew laughter when she said: “In the past we had no family planning. The husband would do high jump (withdrawal method) which our children can not do yet they do not want their spouses to be on contraceptives.”

The First Lady sought to know what the women would do in the event that the man failed to “jump”.

“We would use herbs, but these herbs would make it impossible for men to control themselves. Did you take the herbs orally or you would wear them? Did this not expose you to cervical cancer.

“In the past people would have home deliveries with the assistance of midwives but now there are clinics and hospitals therefore I encourage you to make use of these facilities and avoid home deliveries,” the First Lady said.

One man said some women refused to conceive in the event that the husband had not paid lobola.

“Some women refuse to conceive if you have not paid lobola. They will be taking pills secretly. This makes us hate contraceptives as man,” he said.

When the First Lady asked whether this was true, the women confirmed.

Gogo Esnath Madondo said she gave birth to 15 children – 13 girls and two boys.

“I would give birth because my husband wanted a son. I continued like that until I got two sons. Family planning was difficult to follow because I wanted a son,” she said.

On domestic violence, the First Lady said couples must live in peace, love and harmony to ensure they raise their children in a peaceful environment.

“Who is starting violence in the homes,” she asked?

In response one woman said as women they were failing to respect their husbands and not being submissive forgetting that they are helpers of their husbands not heads of the house.

One man said they (men) were to blame for causing domestic violence.

He said some men did not allow their wives to work forcing them to be housewives and treating them like “slaves”.

Amai Mnangagwa spelt out the need for couples to work and plan together and avoid situations where men demand proceeds of their spouses’ toil because they would have allowed them to work.

“Men, if your spouses bring cash home you should not say this is my money because I permitted you to go there. You women when you leave for projects, focus on the project and go back home. Do not cheat,” she said.

The First Lady warned schoolchildren against engaging in sexual relations before completing their education.

“If you fall pregnant before completing school, it will make you suffer in future. Value your education because that is where your foundation is. If marriage fails, you can revert to your profession. Getting married muchiri vadiki is not a passport, but it can cause other problems,” she said.

The First Lady spoke out against people who are taking drugs and those who were selling them, destroying the future of young people.

“Police must arrest those who are selling drugs once they hear of people doing so. These drugs are destroying our children. These are the children we have come for today so that they may increase, but they are being destroyed by drugs which are being sold by us as parents,” she said.

The First Lady spoke candidly against child marriages which are rife in Mashonaland Central Province.

“What is causing us to marry off our daughters at a tender age?” she asked.

Mrs Shingai Kwetiri said both men and women were responsible for marrying off their daughters at tender ages.

“As parents we are agreeing to marry off our daughters due to greed. We envy crops and food next door and we send our children to elderly men who have two wives, destroying the future of the children who will not be ripe enough to carry pregnancies,” she said.

Mrs Failess Mazheti echoed similar sentiments.

“I say as mothers we are influencing our daughters to have boyfriends due to love for niceties,” she said. “If the child comes back home late we are opening the door without even asking where she will be coming from.

“If the men voice concern, we side with these children, resulting in the child falling pregnant at the expense of their studies,” she said with pain written all over her face.”

Dr Mnangagwa urged the community to do away with child marriages saying they should give children a chance to unleash their potential in life.

Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Monica Mavhunga sang praises for the First Lady for her commitment to build lasting marriages and for being a hard worker.

“Amai, your energy is both surprising and pleasing to the people of Zimbabwe. You traverse the length and breadth of the country moulding families and promoting unity.

“You are an example of a good mother who stands and uplifts her family. All your programmes are educative Amai. Today you have come as health ambassador and that is important for us. If you speak as a mother, your children will understand and listen attentively,” she said.

Acting board chairman of the National Family Planning Council Dr Stanzia Moyo chronicled the history of the council and said the council would remain committed to the coordination and monitoring of the provision of integrated reproductive health and family planning services in Zimbabwe.

“Our work is based on scientific empirical research which makes our services Zimbabwe specific, albeit drawing from and obtaining global standards.

“As we execute our mandate, it is also important to acknowledge the financial support which the Government of Zimbabwe, through our parent ministry, MOHCC, and development partners continue to render ZNFPC for the successful implementation of the family planning programme. This enhances stability in the provision of services,” said Dr Moyo.

The board chair also sang praises to the First Lady for her resuscitation of the country’s cultural values through her numerous programmes.

“Such a policy must be homegrown. That is the policy must be anchored in the Zimbabwe socio-cultural contest with norms and values some of which are being resuscitated by our mother, the First Lady. Amai, we thank you very much for your continuous resuscitation of our cultural values through your numerous programmes,” he said.

Population Services Zimbabwe country director Ms Pester Siraha paid tribute to the Government of Zimbabwe for its continued political will to ensure access to comprehensive and quality integrated contraception and sexual reproductive health services for the population.

“Due to this unwavering commitment, Zimbabwe is ranked as one of the countries with the highest contraception rate in the region with a CPR rate of 68 percent. We also need to acknowledge the complementary work done by different stakeholders towards increasing access to contraception nationwide,” she said.

“It is, therefore, critical that as we commemorate this day, all stakeholders must continue to work together in order to maintain these hard-fought gains and further drive new ones.”

When people talk of contraception, Ms Siraha said they will be talking about life issues.

“It is indeed the responsibility of individuals, young couples and women to access contraception services free of coercion or impediment as clearly highlighted in this year’s theme,” she said.

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