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Tendai Rupapa in NTABAZINDUNA

CELEBRATIONS, marked by song and dance, were the order of the day in Ntabazinduna over the weekend where hundreds of women from Matabeleland North Province, completed training in detergent making and were given starter-packs to start their ventures, courtesy of First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.

The all-encompassing and life-changing empowerment drive included widows, the elderly, former ladies of the night, teen mothers and those with disabilities.

So oversubscribed was the event that many women who could not fit in the hall had to follow proceedings from an overflow tent, showing how the nation has fully embraced the First Lady’s mission to fight poverty and create employment through skills training.

The move is also expected to enhance women’s participation in economic development and curb gender-based violence fuelled by dependence on spousal support.

Amai Mnangagwa thanked her husband, the President for allowing her to travel around the country assisting women and implored the women to work hard so that the nation appreciate the benefits of an empowered woman.

She stressed the need for women countrywide to develop a strong work ethic and hunger for success, while also remaining submissive to their husbands in line with cultural norms.

Further, Amai Mnangagwa implored the women to form groups and join hands with the elderly and those with disabilities in their communities so that they produce detergents on a large scale.

A teen mother with her child in hand thanks First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and her Angel of Hope Foundation for economically empowering them and giving them a new lease of life during a graduation in detergents-making in Matabeleland North province on Saturday.

This, she said, also brings unity amongst them.

She added that financial discipline was important when conducting a project.

“I get so happy when I meet women because I would have met verudzi rwangu vechidzimai,” said the First Lady. “A First Lady is a person who came from you. I respect you because I came from among you and I am part of you.

“I encourage you to have self-confidence. Do not look down upon yourselves. Everyone has capacity to lead and stand before people. We want women to be in leadership positions.

“Where we are today? Are you able to talk to your next door neighbour? Leadership does not start at the top, but down where we are. It is with great pleasure that I stand before you today in Matabeleland North for the finalising of the various detergent manufacturing training.

“As women, it is imperative that we have a strong work ethic as the household is carried at the back of a woman. Madzimai tinochengeta, tinobereka vana, tinotakura mimba, topona mwana iyeyo, tomubereka kumusana, totsiga huni pamusoro, torembedza bucket remvura tirikuenda kumba. Takasikwa namwari tiri vashandi vanoshandira mhuri dzavo.”

The Mother of the Nation said she was glad to witness success and hand over certificates to dedicated women of Matabeleland North for completing training in detergent making.

“To this, I say congratulations to you all who excelled in this training programme,” she said. “Gone are the days when women were looked down upon, limited to the domestic sector regarded as a non-productive sector of the economy.

“Women are hard workers, particularly in this country and strong fighters against poverty. What they need is support and back-up such as project empowerment initiatives like this one completed by participants today. Please let this be a foundation of a strong prosperous business venture for the development of our families and the communities we hail from.”

Women follow proceedings from an overflow tent during a graduation in detergents-making sponsored by Angel of Hope Foundation in Matabeleland North on Saturday.

Dr Mnangagwa, a firm believer in the upliftment of women, said empowering women was very important not only for social development of families and communities, but also for a healthy nation.

“When women are living a productive life, they feel safe and involved and this helps reach their fullest potential for the benefit of the whole nation by leaving no one and no place behind,” she said. “I say this because whatever profit a woman makes, goes straight to the family.

“Women improve their families first. That is the reason why we want to put emphasis on women always. Vanaamai we are mothers, we are teachers in our families. We protect, we teach good manners which build our images as mothers.

“We console others who would have encountered challenges. We have our sons and daughters whom we must teach good morals. When they go outside they will be pointed as so and so’s child. A good home is pointed as Mrs So and So’s house because it will be organised.

“Why is the woman referred to as the owner when the husband is present? Why do you think this is so? How does the house look? Is it well kempt, are there fruit trees there? Is there a toilet? Is there a kitchen? Is there a drying place for utensils?”

Amai Mnangagwa also had words of encouragement for those who were in the overflow tent.

“I thank those who managed to come for the training programme. For those who failed, those who were trained must train others. We want mothers with good names at home. We have names that we are given and each one has her own. But is that a good name?

“Go and start teaching that woman you do not talk to so that that bad name dies. As mothers, we bring peace and love. If you are angered, do not keep it in your heart until someone is buried. You become hypertensive because of that and fail to get the cure. When affected by hypertension, this will be for life. We must avoid things that disturb our system.

“Look, our children are now getting drunk and as a mother you have high blood pressure. Will the home be comfortable? Teach children in your households. Those you have seen doing bad next door, teach the, as well. You mothers whose children would have been counselled do not take axes asking ‘who are you to teach my children?’.

“In most cases, you are the last person to know bad things taking place in your home, yet the whole community will be in the know. If your child has been counselled you should instead be thankful,” she said to wild applause.

One of the elderly women beneficiaries heartily thanks First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and her Angel of Hope Foundation for economically empowering them after their training in detergents-making in Matabeleland North on Saturday.

The trainees punched the air with excitement and thanked the First Lady for giving them a new lease of life.

Mrs Beverly Mtombeni said the training they had been given would improve their status and go a long way in curbing domestic violence.

“We are thankful to the First Lady for what she has given us today,” she said. “This project will uplift us and give us something to do and stop gossiping, burdening our husbands to do everything for us which also fuels domestic violence if he fails to provide.

“We will be assisting them to look after the family through these projects. We shall buy uniforms for the children, buy books and all the other requirements. This will bring peace in the home and curb domestic violence.”

Similar words were echoed by Miss Andile Ndlovu (30) who described the First Lady as God-sent.

“We are grateful to the First Lady for this project,” she said. “Some of our age groups were frequenting bars, but with this project brought by Amai, there won’t be loitering in bars as this project will assist us to stay away from drugs and mischief. We wish the First Lady a long life filled with success.”

Mrs Stella Bhebe weighed in saying she had been given a head-start and now needed to work hard to succeed.

“I never thought I would one day be equipped with a skill to improve my welfare,” she said. “Were it not for the First Lady, I do not think I would have attained this. I look forward to joining hands with others so that we produce detergents on a large scale so that we create jobs and contribute to the nation’s economic development.”

Women sing and dance in celebration during their graduation in detergents-making organised and sponsored by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa through Angel of Hope Foundation in Matabeleland North on Saturday.

Another graduate, Ms Angela Moyo said she had been given a fishing rod and the ball was now in her court to succeed.

“As our mother rightfully said, we need to work hard and use these skills to survive,” she said. “This is far much better than prostitution which exposes us to diseases, violence and loss of dignity. I am thankful to our mother who is fighting hard to boost women’s dignity.”

Among the beneficiaries was a 16-year-old teen mother with a seven-month-old baby who shared a heart-rending story of how she fell into that predicament before the First Lady came in to lift her up.

“I fell pregnant while in Form One and the boy denied paternity, leaving me to stay with my mother with no financial support from the boyfriend. Things were so tight that I struggled to feed the baby and take care of myself. I thank Amai heartily for what she has done by giving me a second chance. I look forward to go back to school and look after my child in a better way,” she said with tears running down her cheeks.

Women in the overflow tents break into song and dance during their graduation in detergents-making organised and sponsored by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Matabeleland North on Saturday.

Village head Mrs Hadebe of Jabulani village thanked the First Lady for remembering the people of Matabeleland North Province.

“I thank the First Lady for coming here to Ntabazinduna,” she said. “This shows here great love for the nation and quest to see everyone succeed. May God bless her as she has put smiles on the faces of all and sundry. I used to just see this on television but today she has come to my doorstep and for that I am grateful.”

Representatives from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development and the Women’s Bank spoke to the trainees about how best to run their projects and equipped them with financial literacy.

The beneficiaries all received certificates and food hampers from the First Lady.