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Tendai Rupapa in DETE

WILDLIFE Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa on Saturday officially opened the upgraded and expanded Dete Old People’s Home and rehabilitated Hwange National Park’s first modern-era ranger station.

These were born out of the formidable partnership between the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

Both developments torched wild celebrations as they bring a new lease of life to the elderly, communities and those managing wildlife.

The construction of the rangers’ operation office and accommodation houses at the rehabilitated

Makona Main Camp guarantees constant monitoring of the park. It also enables quick reaction to issues of human and wildlife conflict cases because of the proximity to the community.

This was not Amai Mnangagwa’s maiden visit to the home of the old aged as she has been there before on a mission to ensure the elderly have access to good care and nutrition.

The home, which was set up in 1984, was in a dilapidated state when she first visited a few years ago.

As someone who has a passion to improve the welfare of vulnerable members of society like the elderly, Dr Mnangagwa humbly encouraged the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry and its partners to look into the home and give it a new face.

Amai Mnangagwa toured projects being undertaken at the Roman Catholic run home that include piggery, poultry and fish farming.

She also led in the planting of fruit trees at the home’s orchard and had an interactive session with the community to address the surge in drug abuse and general lack of morals among youths today, underscoring the need for women to be actively involved in income-generating projects.

The First Lady personally prepared and served the elderly properly cooked and mouthwatering sadza, rice, beans, goat meat, beef, chicken, zvinyenze, vegetables and different types of salads which were accompanied by drinks and water.

She freely mixed and mingled with them and joked with them, creating a warm environment that left some people shedding tears of joy.

“Mauya zvekare kuzotiona Amai vedu tine mufaro mukuru nerudo rwenyu,” the elderly shouted as the First Lady served them food.

“Vana mbuya nana sekuru ndinokudai zvakanyanya. I have come to spend time with you and cook for you. I have cooked for you various types of dishes which I know you will enjoy.

I want you to eat heartily, it is all about you today therefore, I want you to enjoy yourselves,” the mother of the nation said.

In her remarks while addressing the gathering.

Dr Mnangagwa extended her gratitude to ZimParks and IFAW for partnering the Catholic Church in remembering the aged who were often forgotten by society and were vulnerable.

“Getting old is a blessing of long life from God and we all want to live for as long as possible. If characterised by loneliness, aging can be painful hence partners who remember old people are very much appreciated.

“The renovations done here are meant to make life much easier for you and it is my hope that they are going to be looked after very well. It is at this age when our elders need the much needed proper care and love hence the renovation of this facility was a necessity and will go a long way in improving their livelihoods,” she said.

At full capacity, the facility can accommodate up to 40 residents and it also accommodates non-residents who come for meals everyday.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Roman Catholic for this initiative. His Lordship Bishop Ncube, your team of two sisters and nine caregivers has been excellent in providing service to these vulnerable members of our community.

“This is not an easy task hence we fully appreciate the work that you are doing here. Our President Cde Dr ED Mnangagwa has always insisted that no one must be left behind as we build our nation in the Second Republic. Thank you for heeding to this call and contributing in your own significant way,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa challenged everyone present to play a part in support of the disadvantaged. She noted that the home still required support in many areas.

She praised ZimParks director-general Dr Fulton Mangwanya and his team for noticing the need for intervention, lobbying for support and ensuring that the project was successfully implemented.

As wildlife ambassador, Dr Mnangagwa said it was her wish to see conservation supporting livelihood projects and said she was grateful to IFAW for giving financial and technical assistance during the implementation of the project.

Work done at the home involved construction of the entertainment shade, installation of perimeter fence, drilling and installation of borehole, renovation of toilets, offices, kitchen, dining hall, staff houses and entertainment room, rehabilitation of the cooking shade, tiling of the courtyards, acquisition and installation of air conditioners and renovation of the mortuary wing.

The project also acquired industrial stoves, blankets, plates and cups among other things.

“The gesture we are witnessing today should serve as a reminder to other corporate organisations that we need to develop the culture of giving back to our communities. It is apparently clear that this kind of support and investment will have a long lasting impact and further strengthens the bond between the community and Government in wildlife conservation.

“I am glad that Government accepted that human-wildlife conflicts must be addressed. To this extend, at the end of 2022 Cabinet directed that a human wildlife relief fund will be established,” she said.During an interactive session with the community, Dr Mnangagwa frowned upon the increase in drug abuse cases countrywide.

“Is the issue of drug abuse also prevalent here?” she asked to the public confirmed it was so.

“Do you know that this destroys life? Do those who sell drugs including women know that they are ruining the lives of the children?” the First Lady said.

She further asked the women what they wanted to do so that they earn dignified money and they asked for income generating projects which the First Lady said would gladly initiate for them.

“Vana mai, I wish to give you projects so that you leave this “business” of selling drugs because children are destroyed. These projects will be for every women in this area.

“Saamai handisarudze kuti wabva kupi, all I want is for the women of Zimbabwe to be empowered. As mothers we are pained with the way cases of drug abuse are rising. We are now killing our children because of a dollar? From today I want us to leave drugs and concentrate on projects. I am blind to one’s religious or political affiliation.

“We say no to women who want quick money even through the wrong ways. Let us throw away gossip and use that time to do productive things. Let’s build our communities as one family. Let’s continue doing positive things for the development of our families, communities and the nation.

“When we start the projects, we say no to violence in homes after earning more than our spouses. Our husbands should support us so that the projects succeed,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa instructed the local legislator to visit her office to get the projects for women.

“So my sons, what sort of girl would you want to marry and you girls what sort of man would you want? Mothers and fathers, what kind of daughter-in-law and son-in-law do you prefer,” she asked.

The question attracted various responses.

An elderly lady complained over the nature of some daughters-in-law of nowadays.

“Daughters-in-law of nowadays are not well cultured and have no respect. Even if my son buys a 10kg packet of sugar, she gives me a single cup.

“I once beat up my daughter-in-law and she reported me to her mother and when they came back together, I bashed the two of them because the mother did not teach her daughter good manners,” she said while triggering laughter.

However, the First Lady counselled the woman and preached peace and urged people to shun violence, but solve issues amicably.

An elderly man decried the bad dressing among sons-in-law of today.

“You shudder to think the kind of in-laws we have nowadays. They wear skin jeans, a cap and vest to greet us. The same applies to the daughters-in-law who wear miniskirts, revealing their bodies. They do not perform household chores and are drunkards. Also marriages these days no longer last because there are no more manners at all.”

A boy said he wanted a respectful woman who feared God and did not drink beer.

The First Lady urged communities to work with the police and report those who were involved in drugs.

Cde Molly Mkandla the MP for Matabeleland North Province was happy for the First Lady’s visit and projects for women in her area.

“I wish to thank the First Lady for what she has done here in Dete. Women here were concerned over lack of access to projects. Amai has heard their pleas and has invited me to her office for the projects which will benefit every woman and I thank her for her deep love. She is not selective and non-partisan. She is blind to one’s political and religious affiliation. She represents all women equally,” she said.

IFAW’s executive vice president Mr Jaison Bell said they were extremely proud to be working in partnership with the Zimbabwe Government to create a better world for both animals and people and unlock the incredible natural capital potential the country has to offer.

“As an organisation with a mission to conserve wildlife and their habitats, we believe very strongly that we cannot achieve positive outcomes for wildlife and wildlife-based economies such as eco-tourism without including people in the equation. When animals threaten individual lives and livelihoods, it is the people that suffer.

“And if local communities are not incentivised to live in coexistence with wildlife, how can we expect them to support and ultimately own the national conservation agenda,” the representative said.

In partnership with the Government, IFAW said it stood firm in its commitment to engage the people of Zimbabwe as stakeholders and benefactors of a thriving wildlife-based economy.

IFAW said it was proud to have contributed to the refurbishment of the home and Makona camp and will continue to work with the Government to ensure people across the landscape thrive.

Dr Mangwanya said when the needs of local communities, including the elderly, were met and people felt safe the nation felt healthy and happy.

“Our environment is appreciated, protected and enhanced and conservation in the heterogeneous landscape around protected areas makes sense. We believe our economy can be more vibrant, employment opportunities can be increased and our lives are more purposeful when we do these kind of interventions.

“We all know old age is a very sensitive phase of the lifecycle as the elderly people need care and comfort to lead a healthy life without worries and anxiety. As ZimParks we believe in our local communities and we pledge to continue supporting them in their various needs,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of his Lordship Bishop Raphael Mabuza Ncube, a representative said they were grateful for what the two organisations had done.

“We say thank you, siyabonga for the wonderful and beautiful work done here at Dete Old Age Home. When we unite our hands and we work together we can do marvellous things,” he said.

The elderly expressed their joy and said they were glad the First Lady had travelled a long distance to spend time with them.

Mr Simon Ngwenya said; “I am so gratified because of the food that has been prepared for us by our mother. She comes from Harare which is far away to come and prepare meals for us sumptuous dishes of this nature. We are so happy with all my friends here. Since birth a long time ago, I had never seen a First Lady coming down to us and we are thankful for what Amai is doing for us. This is actually her second visit,” he said.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Gogo Esther Ngwenya (89) who wished she was strong enough to dance for the First Lady.

“I am so happy because of what Amai has done. She has come to spend time with us and we have never been so delighted. We just do not know how best to thank her we wish we were still able-bodied to dance for her. This is not her first time to come here. I have spent just three years here, but when I came I heard she once visited. She stays far away and we thank her for coming to visit us,” she said with a broad smile.

Meanwhile, the support of the stakeholders has resulted in a considerable contribution towards rehabilitating the 45 km Main Camp to Makona Road to improve accessibility and reduce wear and tear of vehicles and the construction of the Rangers’ operation office, which is critical to the enhancement of law enforcement operation.

The project has also facilitated the construction of nine ranger accommodation houses in Makona that have dramatically improved staff welfare, the building of the Makona Administration Office and staff homes marks the full establishment of the office and guarantees constant monitoring of the park.

The move will improve ground coverage by rangers, effective implementation of fire management programmes, increased community engagement and increased tourism ventures.

In a speech read on her behalf at the Camp by Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo, the First Lady said it was with great honour she was part of the grand event where one gets to witness and celebrate a product of what establishing great partnerships can achieve.

“As Zimbabwe is Open for Business, we welcome with open arms developmental initiatives which ultimately contribute to Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy and Vision 2030. Zimbabwe is proud of its natural heritage and rich wildlife resources.

“We stand in the iconic Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest park, home to more than 45 000 elephants and other critical biodiversity. It is an open ecosystem, and the human footprint makes it a complex landscape to manage and requires strategic partnership support to achieve conservation goals for people and nature,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa said she could not over-emphasise the need for collective action to achieve win-win scenarios for nature and people facing the brunt of living with wildlife.

“International Fund for Animal Welfare (FAW), our trusted partner, came in just at the right time when the conservation sector was ailing with the wounds of Covid-19. When other funding sources were rigid and could not be redirected to the crisis at hand, they are still here, supporting us. You rarely get a partner who asks about your needs and provides the technical and financial support to deliver on tangible milestones. The people on the ground know the challenges in conserving this precious heritage, and tackling the root causes of problems together is the only way to achieve transformational impact.

“Since signing the agreement between ZIMPARKS and IFAW 2019, the Hwange National Park has received much-needed technical, financial and material support. The demand-driven support has targeted investments towards crucial conservation areas, including infrastructure development, law enforcement, game water management, community engagement, Human-Wildlife Conflict mitigation and tourism development,” she said.

Communal livelihoods, she said, were a vital aspect of conservation because if they were well taken care of, the nation became confident that its heritage was well protected.

“The vulnerable groups in society cannot continue to be disadvantaged, bearing the costs of living with wildlife. I am also pleased that the conservation sector, through the recently agreed Global Biodiversity Framework, recognises the role of women in the sector. This is the first environmental treaty to target women’s rights. I hope we embrace and implement this conservation target within our partnerships. In the Makona field station and the rest of the Parks, I would like to see that difference in recognition of women in conservation. We are not leaving anyone behind, let us ensure equity is achieved and that poverty is alleviated in our local communities,” she said.

The IFAW-ZimParks partnership has invested more than US$3,5 million in the Hwange-Matetsi-Zambezi landscape. These funds have gone towards combatting wildlife crime, ranger welfare, park management (improving infrastructure; game water management), tourism development, wildlife rescue, and mitigating human-wildlife conflict.