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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter 

SIX thousand people from the country’s five provinces and the Female Open Prison, have so far benefited from the partnership between First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s Angel of Hope Foundation and the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU), which is offering them life-changing courses in various disciplines, for free. 

In Harare, those who finished their courses and graduated, including Information Communication Technology (ICT) students who are yet to graduate, are 1 055 while Bulawayo registered 830, and expects more when the training starts this week. 

Matabeleland North Province has 1 134 beneficiaries, Matabeleland South has 770, Manicaland registered 2 012 while the Female Open Prison has 20.

The number is set to rise significantly as the mother of the nation takes the empowerment initiatives to all the country’s 10 provinces. 

Pioneer beneficiaries from Epworth have already graduated and are already enjoying the fruits of the partnership. 

Courses on offer are the faculties of Agriculture, Applied Social Sciences, Commerce and Law, Education, Science, Technology and Arts, Culture and Heritage Studies. 

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa greets beneficiaries of her programmes in Manicaland on Saturday. —Picture: John Manzongo

There are no educational requirements for one to benefit from the life-changing courses aimed at imparting knowledge in the people through open learning. The courses come as a blessing to millions of people who failed to complete their education because of various reasons and circumstances. 

The First Lady implored women countrywide to take advantage of the partnership to acquire life-changing university education free of charge and improve their lives. Speaking at the launch of the programme in Manicaland on Saturday, which becomes the fifth province to benefit, the mother of the nation, who has a passion for the empowerment of women, said she did not want women to lag behind hence her call for them to go to school and be empowered. 

“It is my pleasure to be here with the Zimbabwe Open University with our programme of supporting education free of charge throughout Manicaland Province. “This is the fifth time Angel of Hope has joined ZOU offering educational programmes that take little time but are life-changing. Women, let us go to school. Let us return to school. What is great about this education is you will learn for free and it is not for a long time. Let us go to school because we failed to attend school because of various reasons,” she said. 

Amai Mnangagwa said she was truly delighted that what started in August 2021 had taken the nation far in terms of empowering communities. 

“Total transformation involves both the reconstruction of educational institutions and the use of education in restructuring society. Education 5.0 which aligns itself with the philosophy influenced by reconstruction and shows a resolve to reflect on its core responsibility of empowerment through open learning joining hands with Angel of Hope Foundation in transforming lives of communities. Offering free life-changing short courses in all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe is what made the vice chancellor of ZOU Professor Gundani to be here with us today. The launch of Angel of Hope Foundation and ZOU partnership programme in Manicaland Province is the fifth following previous launches in Harare, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South. 

Zimbabwe Open University Deans of Faculties and lecturers explain the various programmes they are offering to through the partnership with Angel of Hope Foundation in Manicaland on Saturday

“Ladies and gentlemen, university education has come here in Manicaland. We have lit the flame of change in our lives because those who benefit will never slide back but go forward. Handidi madzimai anosara, tese handei kuchikoro and be empowered. Usasare kumashure,” she said. This dovetailed with the views of Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) Vice chancellor Professor Paul Gundani who said the institution was happy with its fruitful relationship with the First Lady.

“As ZOU we work with Amai and her Angel of Hope Foundation. We were charmed by the work she is doing and so it is perfect to partner with her. As a country we know that a mother in a home is the pillar of the family. She should have a vision thus to achieve that vision, Amai is helping women to go to school and empower themselves. She personally works hard and wants hardworking women. If you work hard your children will learn from you and also work hard for themselves. We should emulate the way the First Lady works. A mother in the house should be able to cover her children like a hen does to chicks. This is what she has done by bringing a university to your doorstep so that you are empowered. As ZOU we are in all the 10 provinces, we then saw it fit to complement Amai’s efforts and came up with various programmes to benefit communities while being led by Angel of Hope Foundation. These courses are life because if you grasp the concepts taught your life will change. I urge you to take the programme seriously,” he said.

So eager to improve their lives were scores of people that they were literally falling over each other to register. 

Mrs Acquiline Muchadei (60) of Chimanimani said she was glad to be afforded a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go back to school. 

“I am grateful for the First Lady’s programme which is offering us free courses. She is a loving mother who always assists all her children without being selective. I had ended my education in Form Four. I want to do a First Aid course since my husband is in the same field. Amai’s love and conduct are plausible as a mother who loves her nation.” 

“Amai is not giving us fish, instead she is teaching us how to fish. She is always keen to uplift areas that are looked down upon,” she said with a broad smile. 

their hands to start income generating projects in Manicaland

Youthful Mr Tendai Vhirimu said he was gratified by the first Lady’s show of love for the country’s citizenry regardless of their social standing.

“Our mother has shown us great love as Manicaland and has always stood by us even throughout the cyclone disaster. What she has done for us is truly commendable. It’s a life changing opportunity. We are not going to look back because if we back track, we remain in one place. As youths, we will take these studies seriously so that we are empowered and stay away from mischief,” he said.

Ms Shorai Chinhori said the chance to acquire university education free of charge will drive many people to be part of the empowerment drive without any hindrances.

“I am overly excited because of Amai who has come to uplift us here in Manicaland free of charge. I want to be a nurse aid and also train in agriculture. This is a chance to proceed with education, something we failed to do due to various reasons. The training in agriculture will help me achieve high yields after acquiring knowledge,” she said.

Caroline Mandiuraya (23) said mischief had forced her off school but she was happy to have a second chance.

Prospective students queue to register for programmes on offer through the partnership between Angel of Hope Foundation and Zimbabwe Open University during the launch in Manicaland on Saturday

“Poverty and mischief made some of us fail to realise their dreams. I want to do building and cooking courses so that I acquire knowledge that will help me in improving my life through self-help projects. Such empowerment projects like these ones being brought by the First Lady are rare, therefore, we are grabbing this opportunity with both hands. Today a university has come to our doorstep. Amai is doing all this for our benefit as a nation. This is actually a game changer because the First Lady is giving us skills to work for ourselves,” she said. 

Mrs Rosie Muisa (62) said she wanted to pursue agriculture. 

“We are glad to have been visited by the First Lady with these courses. She has brought ZOU to teach us and I want to do agriculture because the President gave us land and I want to learn and produce many crops to feed the nation. When educated, I will know the type of seed to use, the fertiliser and the best crop management skills,” she said.