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Tendai Rupapa–Senior Reporter 

BARELY a few months after settling in Zimbabwe and inspired by the efforts of the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, to improve the welfare of vulnerable groups through her Angel of Hope Foundation, the wife to the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mrs Maria Von Kirchmann, has expressed willingness to work closely with the mother of the nation in her philanthropic work. 

She said Dr Mnangagwa is hardworking and has proved to be the best.

Mrs Von Kirchmann requested a meeting with the First Lady at Zimbabwe House yesterday where she revealed her wish to be involved in health, education and women empowerment initiatives, among many other programmes being spearheaded by the First Lady.

Mrs Von Kirchmann said Dr Mnangagwa’s approach and ability to reach out to anybody without discrimination is commendable and corresponded absolutely well with hers, hence her interest in partnering her.

“I, my husband and our family have been properly welcomed in Zimbabwe and today I was personally very warmly welcomed by the First Lady. I have expressed to the First Lady that I am interested in helping the women and the children of the country with whatever they require in terms of health, education, and women empowerment through working with her. Through her experience, hardwork and hands-on approach, we can collaborate with the Angel of Hope Foundation in projects which are currently ongoing in the country. I would personally like to partner with the First Lady,” she said with a broad smile. 

Madam Kirchmann said she was touched by the First Lady’s programmes that are making a difference in the lives of women and children.

“The approach of the First Lady absolutely corresponds with my personal approach because I think going around the country and having an outreach to everybody without any discrimination of what region they come from or origin is very essential and I think real help is when you reach out to all people like she is doing. I also learnt about her foundation’s partnership with the Zimbabwe Open University and I think this is an excellent approach to have bigger education access to all women and children,” she said. 

“I find the First Lady hard working, especially that she tackles all topics including the ones which are a bit more sensitive to discuss for example certain diseases which affect women. I think this is essential because she is working with children, working with women. In tackling sensitive topics, the First Lady has the courage and the will and is a hardworking woman and she knows that all topics must be taken on board even if they are more sensitive,” said Mrs Von Kirchmann. 

She added: “Together with her guidance, we can do great things for Zimbabwe. I welcome her invitation to move around with her and see how she does things. Meeting and connecting with the people is very important. As a woman, it is important for me to also connect with other women.”

The First Lady said it was her pleasure to host Madam Kirchmann whom she asked to feel free and at home.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa listens to the wife of European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mrs Maria Von Kirchmann as she narrated her admiration of Dr Mnangagwa’s life changing initiatives to ordinary Zimbabweans during their meeting at Zimbabwe House yesterday.

“I hope you have settled well with your family. Madam Kirchmann, women are a soft power. Our motherly instinct and the innate caring qualities which attribute to the feminine drive us to help those in need where we can. The matriarchal significance that we as mothers have can never be overemphasised. Our soft power is our contribution to the family set up spewing into the community.

“We take care of our children in our homes and also have to address social ills within our families and society at large,” the First Lady said.

Women from all social classes, Dr Mnangagwa said, were leaders be it from grassroots going upwards.

She said the President and his administration have been instrumental in the inclusion of women in decision-making positions and national development processes.

“It is therefore imperative for women in higher decision-making positions to uplift their fellow women at grassroots level by imparting knowledge because we want all women to be able to have confidence in themselves and they should be in different leadership roles starting from the grassroots level.

“Prehistoric, past and present day women have faced similar situations at different times and you might agree with me that our struggle is the same. Women being the majority demography in the global population statistics have an equally significant share to contribute in their respective countries and internationally in promoting social development,” Dr Mnangagwa said.

As a woman passionate about social issues affecting communities in Zimbabwe, the First Lady said she founded Angel of Hope Foundation in 2018 offering needs-based assistance to those in dire need.

Up to date, she said, she continues to initiate programmes aimed at empowering and ameliorating the living standards of women, youth, orphans, elderly, disabled and underprivileged people within society.

“I believe that everyone deserves a chance at attaining better living standards, hence my continuous travelling across all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe leaving no place behind and no stone unturned in ensuring that all of us are enabled to contribute to the National Development Strategy (NDS1) towards our goal of emerging as an upper middle class economy by the year 2030 as enunciated by the President H.E ED Mnangagwa.

“Not only do women, youths and children constitute the greater percentage of the population, they are also the most vulnerable thereby affecting their social well-being. This is what drives the Angel of Hope Foundation to help create that enabling environment by working with various partners to assist and improve the livelihoods of women, youth, inclusive of boys and girls, children, people living with disabilities and the elderly, thereby improving their participation in the development process,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe as a country not only has beautiful natural scenery and wildlife, but also has a very friendly and hard working people who are driven by their need to have sustainable livelihoods.

This Zimbabwean spirit, she said, was essential to the social and economic development of the nation.

Amai Mnangagwa acknowledged the partnership request and extended an immediate invitation to Mrs Von Kirchmann.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa shares notes as she exchanged contacts with the wife of European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mrs Maria Von Kirchmann during a meeting at Zimbabwe House yesterday. — Pictures: John Manzongo.

“Madam Kirchmann, I would like to say both as patron and founder of Angel of Hope Foundation and as the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, I am open to working with you in these areas. There is a need for collaboration and exchange of experiences which promote partnerships and achieving that deep understanding of these vulnerable populations. 

“This in turn informs the various interventions that we come up with in order to achieve set targets and objectives,” she said.

The First Lady described women empowerment as a powerful tool towards inclusive development as there was a clear connection between women’s inclusion and increasing prosperity.

She extended an invitation to Ambassador Jobst Von Kirchmann to visit her office as well.

Amai Mnangagwa voiced concern over a surge in drug abuse cases which resulted in eight girls being expelled from Dominican Convent High, an elite school in Harare.

“I am inviting you my sister when I do my programmes and you see how I do it and you also participate because as women we are the same regardless of skin. As mothers we can share a lot and our energy together will bring out something. I also move around the country engaging the youths and our school children raising awareness on the dangers of drug abuse. It’s so disheartening to note that there were eight girls from one of our top schools who have been expelled for drug abuse. I have been screaming against drug abuse and to note that these girls chose not to listen is heart-breaking. There is a need for parents to monitor their children. To cement this I have also been engaging parents discussing about this,” she said.