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Tendai Rupapa in MWENEZI

CHILDREN must speak out whenever they are abused so that their abusers are brought to book to send a clear warning to other would-be offenders, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.

She made the remarks during a Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba session in Mwenezi where she came face-to-face with a case of a 14-year-old orphaned Grade Six child who was sexually abused by her grandfather (her mother’s father) resulting in pregnancy.

The minor, who is now nine months pregnant and due for delivery any time soon, said her grandfather raped her several times at knife point while threatening her with death if ever she disclosed the abuse.

The case came into the open after a neighbour noticed changes in the girl and notified her grandmother, resulting in the arrest of the heartless paedophile who is now serving jail time.

So touched by the case was the First Lady that she provided new born baby kits and financial support to the abused girl.

“I am traversing the length and breadth of the country advising our girls in the nhanga to speak out against people who abuse them. I asked the girl what happened and she said she was abused thrice. Why did she not speak out? These are the kinds of cases we are grappling with, yet they are happening in our communities. 

“I want to pay this old man a visit in prison and ask him why he raped the child. He has ruined her future. It pains me as a mother to see such a young girl becoming a mother before the time is right. 

“There will be so many complications when she gives birth like fistula because achiri mwana haasati asimba (she is still only a child who is not yet ready for motherhood). 

“The child is now nine months pregnant and I shall provide clothing and all necessary items needed for the baby,” she said while giving her baby kits and money.

This came as Dr Mnangagwa described as fierce, the rampant abuse of alcohol and drugs and loss of morals among children countrywide.

She reminded youths that Zimbabwe had its traditional values and norms which should be respected at all times.

Herself grounded in the nation’s traditional values, Dr Mnangagwa granted the girls in nhanga the floor to ask questions which she answered with the help of elderly women from the community.

Boys too were taken through their lessons by chiefs and elders from the community in the gota, giving a glimpse into the Tshangani culture.

Boys learn how to till the land using an ox drawn plough during the gota programme organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Mwenezi yesterday. – Pictures: John Manzongo.

Girls were taught to prepare traditional dishes including goat head which in their culture is simply boiled with salt without tomatoes and oil. 

According to the Tshangani culture, the head is not eaten by women, but it is sent to the men’s court who dish it out on their own.

The practicals for the girls included weeding the garden, pounding and grinding on stone.

On the other hand, boys were taught to slaughter a goat, milk a cow and weeding. 

When a goat head and the legs are prepared for the men, the head of the household is expected to invite other men from the community and enjoy the meal at the men’s court.

In her address, Dr Mnangagwa advised the elderly women that she was on a mission to groom children with good morals.

“Grandmothers, I saw it fit to come here so that we sit down with children teaching them good morals. We want to catch them young before they are contaminated with what is happening these days. When we catch them young, we surely will manage to control some before they are into mischief. 

“I want you to train these children the way you do it in your culture as we assist one another. My children do you know that you are precious and that you resemble women worldwide. You are just like us, your mothers and grandmothers. 

“If you fail to preserve your moral values, this affects us as well because we are the same. We say no to those who undress at every given opportunity and sleep with everyone who pleases to do so. 

“Some are bedding men who are old enough to be their fathers. Value your education so that you may have a bright future. What would you want to be when you grow up,” she said.

Girls being taught how to cook traditional dishes during the nhanga programme organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Mwenezi yesterday.

In response, the children said they aspired to be doctors, nurses, lawyers, journalists and pharmacists.

“To fulfil your dreams, what is it that you should do,” Dr Mnangagwa asked.

The children jointly responded that they should put their education first before anything else.

“Now if you pursue love affairs or drugs, will you value your education and become a doctor? If you chase two rabbits at once like education and men, will you achieve anything? Are you at the age of having sexual relations?” Amai Mnangagwa asked, to which the children said no.

“My daughters I have come for you here therefore do not embarrass me. I want to see nurses, lawyers and doctors here. Grandmothers, these children are our future and we expect them to look after us.

“I was pained on my way here seeing girls dressed in mini skirts chasing after boys. Let us say no to peer pressure, appreciate the reason why you are in school. Please feel free to ask questions and embrace the teachings you receive here for they will guide you,” she said.

Gogo Hlupe Rangani had words of advice for the girls, whom she urged to always make their beds whenever they rise.

“My daughters, a girl does not wake up like a rabbit. You make your bed, bath and perform household chores like cooking and sweeping the yard,” she said.

Similar words were echoed by Gogo Ngoni Chitanga, who gave the girls information about preparing for marriage.

“When you have come of age and are aspiring to get married, you venture into the forest and bring a bundle of firewood to your aunt’s house. She will know that you have grown up. 

“In the past, you would be taken by aunties and grandmothers to the bushes for three months and impart advice on life. Such a practice is known as kudzana in Tshangani. However, nowadays you will be taken for kudzana in the bush just for one month and it is done on school holidays,” she said.

Gogo Locadia Chitanga said bad behaviour led to early marriages filled with challenges.

“If girls are not well-mannered, they will rush into marriage at a tender age. If they are married at the correct age, they become well-cultured women. 

“We want to thank you Amai for this programme which is helping us lay a foundation for our children,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa reiterated that the teachings sought to prepare a bright future for girls and not make them rush into marriage.

She further taught them on menstrual hygiene before promising to give them sewing machines, material and all accessories so that they venture into a sewing project focusing mainly on reusable pads.

Boys shared the lessons they learnt in the Gota and expressed gratitude to the First Lady for sparing a thought for them.

Boys learn how to milk a cow during the gota programme organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Mwenezi yesterday.

One of the beneficiaries, Panashe Makore, expressed happiness for the lessons he received.

“I thank the First Lady for what she has done for us by bringing the Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme to Mwenezi. Some boys are drinking beer, taking drugs, rushing into marriages and disrespecting parents. Most of them are dropping out of school due to drug influence, they are committing crimes while under the influence of drugs. 

“Today, some of us saw it fit to follow teachings that do not affect our future so that we lead better lives in future. We shall share the teachings we received with others who could not make it here so that they quit drugs which are a menace in our country,” he said.

Craig Mukore expressed similar views.

“I want to thank the First Lady for what she has done today. In the Gota we learnt a lot about what is expected of us as boys. We learnt that boys at home must milk cattle, cut firewood and make whips for driving cattle when ploughing. 

“Boys are supposed to know how to make axe and hoe handles and cooking sticks. We also learnt how to slaughter a goat starting from skinning to dismembering the legs and heads. 

“We learnt that we should not take drugs and respect elders at all times. We learnt that we should consider marriage when we are earning our own money so that we can look after our families in the future,” he said.

Mr Emmanuel Vhurinosara, who was in the Gota, could not hide his gratitude to the First Lady for letting children learn and appreciate the country’s culture.

“I am happy for the lessons because these days children are not getting the helpful lessons, but through the First Lady’s programme, they are now learning a lot. 

“People are not teaching their children properly supposedly because the children are taking drugs excessively and have lost respect for their parents and elders. 

“We taught the children to make cooking sticks, milk cows and yoke cattle. As elders here, we have agreed to form groups and teach our children regularly in the communities and carry the programme forward monthly,” he said.

Dr Mnangagwa later addressed the whole Mwenezi community, reinforcing the need to build good names for their families.

“It is my pleasure to be here discussing, putting our heads together in moulding happy families with good names. We want families with good names in the communities. This is why we came with the Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme which is pregnant with lessons that build men and women of the future. God gave us our own land and children whom we have come to sit down with. 

“We are faced with a challenge of drunkenness from young people to the elderly. The whole family is ruined by drunkenness. In the Gota where we were with the girls, we learnt a lot. We say no to intoxicating substances and drugs. I asked our grandmothers to shepherd our children so that they do not get lost. I promised the girls that I will give them sewing machines, material and all accessories to start sewing reusable pads. 

“Even boys who were in the Gota, I am told, learnt a lot. Chiefs and headmen, fathers, I implore you to keep watching over families in communities and teaching children,” she said.

Amai Mnangagwa invited a boy and a girl to explain what they had leant and the lessons they would take home.

She asked the dangers of early sexual relations and the children pointed at disease and unwanted pregnancies among other challenges.

Boys and girls were given certificates and school stationery by the First Lady who made them ambassadors.

Together with the elderly men and women who were teaching them, they also received food hampers and toiletries. 

In addition, girls were given reusable sanitary pads courtesy of Dr Mnangagwa.