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Tendai Rupapa-Senior Reporter

EGYPTIAN Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mahmoud Amer, says he follows with admiration the work being done by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa through her Angel of Hope Foundation to improve the economic status of women, ease poverty and boost rural development and was keen to ensure she achieves more through collaborations with entities from his home country.

The Ambassador, who paid a courtesy call on the mother of the nation at her offices in Harare yesterday, said he was eager to arrange a working relationship between the First Lady and an Egyptian agency that was involved in similar work.

“I follow with admiration what Her Excellency the First Lady is doing with the Angel of Hope Foundation especially outside of Harare in rural areas. In that sense, we have in Egypt the Egyptian Agency for Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises and this is an opportunity to bring to Her Excellency’s knowledge about this organisation so that we can open the lines of communication between Angel of Hope and this Agency,” he said.

 The ambassador said the agency sought to help people by developing small, medium and micro enterprises for them in order to have a livelihood that could help them prosper.

“What this agency does is that it connects the Government efforts and NGO entities and then plans on a national level by giving people the tools to upgrade their economic status, specifically women. Empowering women is part and parcel of what this Egyptian agency is trying to do. It organises specialised training services, providing technical services and administrative assistance as well as working tools because it does not stop by giving ideas to the people but helps them put together an enterprise whether its small, medium or micro enterprise. It helps them in marketing their products as well,” he said.

Ambassador Amer said after seeing the breath-taking work being done by the First Lady in rural areas, he thought that this agency could come in handy.

“So what I am trying to do is trying to give Her Excellency an expose about this agency whereby if you deem it appropriate, we can open the lines of communication with our agency in Egypt and bring the expertise to coordinate with Angel of Hope Foundation in order to work in tandem. I think this is part and parcel of President Mnangagwa’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and Vision 2030 of helping to alleviate poverty, empower women and helping rural areas by bringing their economies to par with urban areas. So this is the brief synopsis of this organisation for your excellency to look at it,” he said.

The Ambassador informed Amai Mnangagwa of two other projects which he said have capacity to spur economic development and enhance the economic status of the citizenry.

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa welcomes Egyptian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Mahmoud Amer at Zimbabwe House yesterday. — Pictures: John Manzongo

“There are other two issues that I would like to bring as well which I deem as appropriate in trying to look into faster cooperation between both our countries.

“We have embarked on a mega project called decent life project. This decent life project is going to upgrade the livelihood of 60 percent of the Egyptian population. All in rural areas trying to upgrade their lives doing everything from building new houses, overhauling infrastructure, sewage and internet connections in order to upgrade and try to help them into normal life like urban areas. We embarked on the project this year.

“We started with 4 000 villagers in rural areas and will expand because this will not leave any village behind. I think this is an area that bodes well with what Your Excellency, the First Lady is doing outside of Harare. Last is an idea that Coptic Orthodox Church and the Egyptian embassy are working together in order to bring in medical missions to rural areas specifically in Zimbabwe.

“Medical missions that comprise doctors living in the Diaspora who are willing to put their time and effort in these medical missions which we are working in tandem with the Coptic orthodox church in order to bring these medical missions to rural areas in whatever domains the government of Zimbabwe would like. 

“We have approached the Ministry of Health as well and they welcomed the idea. This is an issue that I feel is appropriate as well and bodes well with the Angel of Hope mission outside of Harare. So these are the main three issues that I would have loved to bring to the attention of her excellency,” he said.

The First Lady said she was grateful that her work was being appreciated and informed the ambassador of the various works she was undertaking to improve the health and well-being of the country’s citizens.

She highlighted her interventions in providing cancer screening services and tackling issues of drug abuse, alcohol abuse, teen pregnancies and child marriages.

“Thank you very much Your Excellency for coming to my office and having such a discussion which is so profitable and which is going to enhance the livelihood of both our peoples. Let me acknowledge the cordial relations between our two countries. When there are issues to do with women and children, these are very important to me and the Angel of Hope Foundation. That is why you see me as much as you have said that you see me all the time outside Harare in rural areas. It’s because I want to see what is really happening in our women and children, the elderly, the sick, the disadvantaged children and also to see the health aspect of it. How they are living in rural areas is also of importance to us.

“I would also like to inform you that I am the ambassador of health in the country, an appointment that was bestowed on me by the Ministry of Health and Child Care due the work that I am involved in especially in remote areas. Because just like their peers in urban areas, they also need that attention. I also have a mobile clinic that travels to all parts of the country with health experts. People are screened for cancer for free. I also make sure that our people know their health issues as I always encourage them to get checked for all ailments, especially non-communicable diseases during our outreach programmes.

“Thousands of women have benefited from the cancer screening programme which is still ongoing. Men too are screened for prostate cancer, the mobile clinic is needed everywhere because it has brought healthcare to the doorstep of people, mainly our women,” she said.

The First Lady welcomed the proposal by Ambassador Amer saying she was looking forward to partnering with the Egyptian organisation.

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa exchanges gifts with Egyptian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Mahmoud Amer during their meeting at Zimbabwe House yesterday.

“I am happy to know that you are keen to see the establishment of a partnership between my foundation and the organisation from Egypt. I welcome that mostly and I have prepared a document for you, Your Excellency, to see all what I am doing in the country in trying to make sure that our people live a life that does not leave anyone behind or any place behind.

“As part of my work, I am also against the issue of early child marriages. We are engaging families, communities and speaking strongly against it because marrying off a child that is below age has brought a lot of problems. We have seen dropping out of school, unwanted pregnancies, we have also seen drug abuse by both boys and girls. We are now engaging teen mothers and have started training them with life skills so that they are able to look after themselves and their children,” she said.

Ambassador Amer commended Amai Mnangagwa for the mobile clinic and said doctors from his country would also want to partner Angel of Hope Foundation in its outreach programmes.

As the Patron for Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, the First Lady also extended an invitation for tourists from Egypt to visit Zimbabwe which she said had so many amazing experiences to offer.

Ambassador Amer said he had been to Victoria Falls, adding that he was also looking forward to visiting Gonarezhou.