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Tendai Rupapa in MASH EAST

WOMEN must shun gossiping and hateful criticism, but focus on issues that develop families, communities and the country, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.

She made the remarks at a colourful ceremony in Murehwa where hundreds of women drawn from all the province’s nine districts including former ladies of the night, widows, youths, those with disabilities and orphans walked tall after being awarded certificates and starter-packs following an intensive training programme in petroleum jelly and detergent-making, courtesy of the First Lady’s Angel of Hope Foundation’s partnership with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development.

Beneficiaries broke into song and dance as they toasted to a new lease of life which is part of the mother of the nation’s empowerment initiatives which are leaving no place and no one behind.

Dr Mnangagwa was elated by the graduation and urged the beneficiaries to work hard for the good of their families, communities and the nation as a whole.

“I am happy to come and meet you as a family as we focus on women empowerment.

“As a woman you are the one who clears the way for the family to walk. Yes, men are the heads of households, but as a woman you ensure the home is organised.

“I have brought knowledge and experience to build relationships so that we are there for one another when calamity strikes.

“As women we are known for gossip, destroying what has been built by others and we destroy projects by talking too much and discouraging others.

“As women we have leadership skills, but will they be seen if we spend time gossiping? To be a leader, you should showcase the qualities so we want to be leaders in everything we do madzimai.

“The way we dress, talk, live with others in communities and families has to be morally correct. If a child misbehaves, the community points at the mother and not the father. Are we then teaching or children in the homes? As neighbours, how are you living, are you relating well?” she asked.

In response, one discussant pointed fingers at her neighbour accusing her of causing the hatred between them.

“I don’t get along with my neighbour because she wants to compete with me. She is jealous of my success and hates my success such that she always finds a way to destroy what I would have built,” she said.

Fortuitously, the neighbour was present and she gave her own side of the rift.

“True Amai, we do not get along. What she pointed as the cause for our animosity is not true. Amai, I heard by our neighbours that she is having an affair with my husband, but she vehemently denies this. I cannot get along with my enemy,” she said.

The First Lady counselled both parties.

“From today sit down and chart a new life and find a mediator. I have come to bring people together so that people live well. It is not good to clash as neighbours. We have rejected listening to gossip, perhaps the informer will be telling lies,” she said

The women shouted: “Amai, you are a unifier, an equaliser, we are grateful for your words of wisdom. From today we shall bury the hatchet and work together on this project.”

The First Lady encouraged women to use their hands to earn a decent living.

“A person must use her hands. Find something to do around the home as you work for the family, community and country. Some may look down at the project as it starts but big things start small, you will surely get there.

“If there are projects and training like this, do not be left behind. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community and Gender Development and the Women’s Bank are here to help you utilise their services. I urge you to form groups.

“I am happy Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) taught you many things to do with managing your businesses. It is my wish that you will invite me when the project grows. Projects require people with discipline who return home after work and do not sleep away from home. Now if you get more money than your husband, what happens?”

In her response, one lady said if she gets money, she plans with her husband.

“As a woman if I get money I show my husband and we plan together because he would have allowed me to work. I put my portion while he puts his and we plan,” she said.

This, however, differed from the views of her colleague who suggested this would cause problems.

“If some men see a woman with money, they want her to do everything alone while he spends his on booze. When some women get money they want their husbands to be under them.

“They will be ruling the households,” she said.

“On my own behalf my husband will get nothing if my project flourishes because he beats me up and stresses me,” one lady said.

The First Lady implored men to allow their wives to work so that they assist one another in looking after the family and thanked the Ministry for partnering with her Angel of Hope Foundation.

Mrs Barbra Muyengwa from Women’s Bank encouraged women to come forward for funding and highlighted some of the services the bank offers.

“No woman should remain without being assisted. It can be money for whatever needs like sending children to school, starting a business, buying assets like a peanut butter-making machine or a grinding mill.

“At the women’s bank we consider projects like the ones being initiated by Amai. You may want a borehole and it is up to you women to come to your bank because we are here today. I know there are some who opened accounts already, we are here so that we assist one another. You can come with your id, proof of residents and 2 passport-sized photos,” she said.

Mr Nyamadzawo from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs said his ministry offered training in various products capable of empowering the people.

“Besides training in products done yesterday, our ministry can offer various cleaning products. This means when we go back home, we can contact the ministry to broaden our product line and include things that were not taught here like degreaser, engine cleaner, dip.

“We can come and train people wherever you are free to come to the ministry for training as well,” he said.

So happy were the beneficiaries yesterday that they could not hide their joy.

A 27-year-old former lady of the night said she had been given a new lease of life and promised never to return to her former risky way of life.

“I want to thank Amai for empowering me. I used to be a lady of the night but because of Amai I am now able to do my own things and I can make petroleum jelly and detergents.

“I am thankful to Amai and would not want to go to the risky world of prostitution which has many challenges. You can be hooked up at a bar and be killed, some clients refuse to use protection so I now want to work on my own.

“You meet some people who fight you with knives and some people who refuse to pay. I am grateful I am out of this risky business. I conceived a child during my time in sex work and I am grateful I can now look after my child. I did not abort and I want to be able to send my child to school.

“I started sex work in 2018 after divorce from an abusive husband and I could no longer put food on the table. I urge other ladies of the night to join these projects,” she said with happiness written all over her face.

Mrs Memory Rusike, the wife to Chief Chikwaka, said she would share the knowledge she had acquired with members of her community as a way of empowering them.

“I thank Amai for coming to uplift us. When I leave this place I will have knowledge in making detergents and I will share with wives of headmen, youths, widows and form a company to supply these detergents.

“We shall bring together everyone. We look forward to do wonders and spawn other projects. You have uplifted us. This will end domestic violence because we no longer rely on men for sustenance and we can pay fees and other utilities in the home,” she said.

Equally elated was wheelchair-bound Ms Sandra Gota (22).

“I want to thank the First Lady for the project she gave us to make detergents. I am disabled and looked down upon. However, through this project I will no longer be the same. This is not hard work and I can do it while on the wheelchair.

“She is a mother for everyone she does not select. With profit from this project, I will meet all my needs,” she said.

Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Aplonia Munzverengwi thanked the First Lady for extending the empowerment project to her province.

“You have rolled out a programme to empower our women and youths. You started teaching children manners and taught us how to live peacefully in the homes and use our hands. Today you are back teaching us to use our hands.

“All nine districts of Mashonaland East are represented and benefited. It is your wish for families to succeed and for sure with this project, we will go far. You have given us a complete package; we have knowledge of many things that sustain us which are not selective.

“Even beneficiaries of your ZOU programme are doing well. The greatest of all things is that you do these things personally. To the beneficiaries, I urge you to guard this project jealously this project should not die. One day you will see our products in big shops. We are thankful for what you are doing to transform our lives,” she said.

People were given food hampers that included maize meal, cooking oil and sugar by the mother of the nation.