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Tendai Rupapa in NEW DELHI, India

THE number of corporates, individuals, and service providers seeking to partner First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s trailblazing Angel of Hope Foundation in its life-changing initiatives keep rising, with those involved in menstrual hygiene, horticulture, mental health, and environmental conservation coming on board.

Amai Mnangagwa is in India following an invitation from business executives and charity organisations across the Asian country to find possible ways to assist her philanthropic works.

The First Lady’s empowerment initiatives, which are open to everyone despite race, political affiliation, and gender, charmed the Indian business community and many other organisations.

Mrs Geeta Solanki, the founder of Unipads India (Private) Limited is among the executives that expressed keenness to work with the First Lady in improving menstrual hygiene.

She donated reusable sanitary kits to the Angel of Hope Foundation for onward distribution to the needy.

“We manufacture reusable sanitary pads to eradicate poverty in India and other neighbouring states and countries. I am really lucky to meet you Amai and give you these sanitary kits for the underprivileged women and girls in your country,” she said.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to India Dr Godfrey Chipare (centre) and Dr Stephen Banda (right) receive on behalf of First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa sanitary wear donated by Dr Harjinder Kaur Talwar to Angel of Hope Foundation in New Delhi, India yesterday

So cordial was the meeting that Dr Mnangagwa, who is running a thriving reusable sanitary pad sewing initiative in communities and schools around the country, was glad to share her experiences and views with Mrs Solanki.

She described reusable pads as a worthwhile initiative that would ease the plight of women in disadvantaged communities.

“I would want to say that reusable pads in my country have worked very well although it’s not yet widespread,” the First Lady, Dr Mnangagwa said.

“I am doing my best through my Foundation. I am taking the initiative to schools mostly and giving them machines to sew the pads on their own after being trained by Angel of Hope.

“I am aiming to introduce the reusable pads concept in every corner of the country. What you have done strengthens what I am doing and it will help a lot because those few that I have managed to give some machines are doing for themselves and then give other girls who are underprivileged. You have come at a time when I needed you most.”

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa receives a sample of environmentally friendly stoves from EKI Energy services Mr Robit Kumar whose firm seeks to partner Angel of Hope Foundation in distributing the stoves to rural communities during their meeting in New Delhi, India

Mrs Solanki weighed in saying she wanted to collaborate with other international organisations working towards educating the girl child about menstrual hygiene.

She expressed willingness to work with Amai Mnangagwa who gladly accepted the proposal.

Dr Harjinder Kaur Talwar also paid tribute to the First Lady for her women empowerment initiatives and donated 10 000 disposable sanitary pads to the Angel of Hope Foundation, saying she has a deep concern for menstrual hygiene.

“I am pleased to donate something towards this noble cause which the First Lady of Zimbabwe is doing, looking after the hygiene of women of Zimbabwe,” she said. “So, here is a contribution from India with love to our sisters in Zimbabwe.

“We are also glad to welcome the First Lady in our country. She is really humble and hardworking. We salute her for the work that she is doing for Zimbabwe and for being passionate about women’s empowerment and the cause of women.

“This is important to understand and know that empowering and making a woman more capable takes the whole family up. The most important part involves menstrual hygiene of which Dr Mnangagwa is very passionate about.

“I have also done a study on menstrual hygiene of women in India and that report was submitted to the Ministry of Health. When I saw the work the Angel of Hope Foundation was doing I felt I had to do something for the ladies of Zimbabwe. There is nothing better than looking after the hygiene of women because they deserve the best.”

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa listens attentively to Sheel Biotec delegation during their meeting in New Delhi, India

The medical field was also represented by Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Ravisha Thunga Airody managing to have a meeting with the country’s health ambassador, the First Lady, where they focused on mental health.

“We are coming up with a new mental health project which is run by a family charitable trust because mental health is very important, especially after the effects of Covid-19, we should give it very huge importance,” he said.

“There is need for mental health projects so that we can train more mental health professionals and improve the mental health condition in our country. Your Excellency, we are planning to do charitable training programmes, so we are coming as a psychiatric institute along with other medical institutes like cardiology and neurology.

“Our main interest is to train people. We are willing to partner your charity foundation and train the people of Zimbabwe on mental health.”

Bharat Business Connect delegation presents their business profile and willingness to partner First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s Angel of Hope Foundation in New Delhi, India

The First Lady sought to know whether the training was open for everyone, including people who were not in the medical field.

“Do we need to train doctors only or anyone can be trained to look after the patients?” she asked.

In response, Dr Airody said anyone was free to be taught.

The issue of mental health has been topical during the First Lady’s travels across the country where young people are being ruined by drugs which also lead them to commit crimes.

She has also through her Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programmes been emphasising the need for children to concentrate on their studies and shun drugs that exposed them to mental health challenges.

Among prospective partners, who paid a courtesy call on Dr Mnangagwa, was the Chairman of Sheel Biotech Limited who spoke about agriculture, especially horticulture development.

“We have the banana fruit which we want to promote to farmers in African countries. Banana is the cheapest fruit which can be grown in open cultivation. It does not need poly shades. We have experienced this in Eritrea,” he said as he took the First Lady down the various projects they have on offer which could come in handy for Zimbabwe.

“I administer the economic condition of all the African countries and especially Zimbabwe. We thought we should be a part of the journey to help big and small farmers and women’s groups. We are a specialised company with a proven track record in improving the income of farmers and skill development of ladies, men, youths which is the basic necessity of countries like yours.

“We will be doing this for your cause and support you on the journey and we appreciate that you take so much interest in charity work and the upliftment of people. We just want to share and strengthen you so that you can put more attention to the entire mission and this mission should keep on spreading so that more and more people can benefit.”

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa receives a plaque from Human Achievers Foundation Chairperson Dr Senorita Issac in New Dehli India

The First Lady, who is also the Zimbabwe environment patron, met the Vice President of EKI Energy Services Limited Mr Robit Kumar whose firm seeks to distribute environmentally friendly stoves to rural communities through Angel of Hope Foundation.

Mr Kuma said the firm’s objective was to rehabilitate the earth to a low carbon and climate-resilient global economy given that globally 2,6 billion people lacked access to clean fuels and fumes of polluted fuels in cooking killed more people than malaria.

“Zimbabwe was losing about 330 000 hectares of forest per annum. At that rate Zimbabwe could lose all its forests within 52 years. Indoor air pollution causes an estimated 3 800 premature deaths every year and air pollution from indoor sources is the single largest contributor to the negative health effects,” read a brochure accompanying the stove.

Mr Kumar said his organisation intended to distribute 20 000 stoves in the first phase this year and 100 000 Led bulbs during the same period.

He said his stoves required less wood, were smokeless and were free of cost to users.

Bharat Business Connect also made some donations.

Its director Mrs Jyoti Sawhney said: “Excellency, I find myself deeply connected to the Angel of Hope Foundation’s cause. The Foundation is addressing real problems of society and because I admire the integrity and efficiency with which Angel of Hope Foundation uses resources to establish service and directly support the target population, I wish to support your pursuit in the form of the following donation to the Angel of Hope Foundation charity: medicines, breakfast cereals (nuts and porridge), and jams and other condiments for patients in hospitals.”

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to India, Dr Godfrey Majoni Chipare, thanked the various organisations for their willingness to work with the Angel of Hope Foundation for the benefit of the people of Zimbabwe.