Zimpapers Logo

Tendai Rupapa in BULAWAYO

HUNDREDS of beneficiaries of First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s farming project in Bulawayo had a day to remember yesterday when they freely mixed and mingled with the mother of the nation, who joined them in weeding their thriving maize field as she leads by example in promoting the use of one’s hands to earn a decent living.

The project is similar to the one for Harare, which she is replicating in all 10 provinces countrywide, through her Angel of Hope Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, which is complementing her efforts.

Agritex officers and other experts provide technical advice to the beneficiaries to optimise yields and ensure the success of the life-changing programme.

The beneficiaries, who included the elderly, widows, child-headed families, former ladies of the night, teenage mothers and youths, were awestruck by the First Lady’s hard work and hands-on approach she showed while weeding.

Women, men, girls and boys sang, danced and ululated in appreciation of the First Lady’s love given that she, through her Angel of Hope Foundation, provided the inputs for the farming venture.

Amai Mnangagwa also discussed social issues with the gathering and addressed areas of concern like Covid-19, gender-based violence, drug abuse and the need for unity.

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa leads beneficiaries of her farming initiatives in weeding a maize field in Luveve yesterday. – Pictures: John Manzongo

Mrs Ephania Ndlovu, sang praises for the First Lady, saying her empowerment initiatives had helped communities rein in juvenile delinquency like alcohol and drug abuse.

“I am thankful to our mother. Through this project, we will be able to provide for our children, send them to school and feed them. We are thankful that she is remembering us. Youths were spending time in the streets and taking drugs, but now they are participating in gardening. They are now listening to their parents because of the First Lady’s intervention and for that we are grateful,” she said.

Another beneficiary, Ms Sphathisiwe Sibanda, who was deserted by her husband in 2015, has faith that the First Lady’s programme will help her put food on the table.

“I am happy for the First Lady’s empowerment programme which she gave us so that we grow crops and sustain our families. I look after four children who are HIV-positive that were left behind by my younger sister and this programme will help me sustain the children.

“My husband left for South Africa many years ago and never returned. Were it not for this programme, I do not know how I would survive. This programme will help us live and pay fees. Forward with Amai and I thank her heartily,” she said.

The same words were echoed by Mrs Ruth Mhlanga a widow who lost her husband in 2012.

“I lost my husband in 2012 and was left with five children. Among the children is one belonging to my sister who died when the child was young. I also have a child with disability whom I am looking after. This programme will enable us to look after our children without engaging in dirty things like prostitution.

“I thank the First Lady for this programme. I am resilient and will never look back, I promise to work hard and in harmony with others for our project to go forward,” she said proudly.

Mrs Rosemary Sarivhi thanked the First Lady saying her empowerment initiative had helped restore dignity in the community and rein in errant children.

“We are thankful for the programme that has been brought by Amai. She has remembered us in a way we never anticipated. We had children who were troubling us in the community by walking in the nude and they had become difficult to control.

“These children have now changed and are participating in the farming projects. We now spend time productively with them instead of chasing after men in bars and night clubs,” she said.

On a technical note, Mrs Stella Rombe, an Agritex officer, said a bumper harvest was expected owing to reliance on the Pfumvudza farming concept which they used and dwells on moisture conservation.

“We worked with the First Lady’s beneficiaries who were selected in different categories and were give inputs. We came in and helped them with the Pfumvudza scheme.

“We thank the First Lady for a job well done and for remembering her children especially here in Matabeleland.

“Even the orphans who have no one to look after them, we are thankful that Amai became their shoulder to lean on from time to time. We expect a bumper harvest where there will be enough for consumption and surplus for sale,” said Mrs Rombe.

In her address, the First Lady called for love, unity and hard work among the people.

“I am happy with your coming in numbers to our field. Being called a First Lady is just a title. What is important is seeing what the title brings. I see being a First Lady as demanding for one to be rooted in the people, having love for the people and relating to them well.

“The unity and hard work you have showed me today prompts me to regard you as first ladies. We are in the farming season and the Met Department says there are abundant rains this season. Therefore, the work you do is for all of us.

“As women, myself included, when it rains a mother must not cover herself in blankets and looking out through the window. It is important to utilise the rains and do farming so that we put food on the table.

“A house ravaged by hunger has challenges. Today we are gathered for farming and I urge you all especially former ladies of the night that what we are doing seems useless but it has immense benefits.

“It is critical to unite and work together in harmony. Let us all work hard as this reduces gossip and bad deeds. There are boys and girls who are taking drugs and some elderly women who are selling drugs to children.

“Let us stop this because we are destroying their future yet they are our future leaders. If these children start using the time they are wasting productively, drug abuse will be a thing of the past. I was pleased to see the unity we showed in the field and this shows you crave for development.

“Let us continue working in unity, together we stand and put food on the table. You should form a committee so that you sell your produce as a group not individually.”

Amai Mnangagwa implored mothers to teach their children good morals.

“Teach your children good morals and avoid teenage pregnancies and dropping out of school. Some parents are driving children into prostitution so that they get food but we are encouraging you to work and do various projects that sustain us. My office and Ministry of Women Affairs we are working together to roll out projects in communities which you should be part of,” she said.

The First Lady urged women to take advantage of vegetables that grow during the rainy season and dry them for future use.

She said traditional vegetables had medicinal properties and health benefits such that other people from outside the country scramble for them.

The First Lady spoke out against gender-based violence saying: “We do not condone violence in the homes. Our children watch how we live and this is what they will do in the future. Do not take offence when a neighbour chides your child because as a mother you are the last one to know your child’s misbehaviour.”

She told the gathering about Angel of Hope Foundation’s partnership with the Zimbabwe Open University and encouraged people to take up the courses.

“Let us not wait for people to work for us, let us use our hands and work. These courses are helpful,” she said.

On Covid-19, the First Lady said the pandemic was far from being over and implored people to follow World Health Organisation guidelines of masking up, washing hands and maintaining social distance.

Minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Judith Ncube expressed gratitude to the First Lady for her benevolence and zeal to improve the welfare of the people.

“I am overjoyed by your life-changing empowerment programmes. Apart from gaining experience in farming, the project will ensure the beneficiaries spend time productively and use their hands to earn a living,” she said.

In her vote of thanks, Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo, who was representing the Bulawayo mayor, thanked the First Lady for her programmes and for always remembering the people of Matabeleland.

She said the farming programme would uplift the livelihoods of communities.

To complement Amai’s efforts, she said council would see to it that the beneficiaries were allocated market stalls to sell their produce.