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Tendai Rupapa in CHIREDZI
WOMEN in Chiredzi have thrown their weight behind First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s drive to promote self-sufficiency through using one’s hands and the consumption of indigenous dishes that are nutritious and readily available in the communities.
The community thanked the mother of the nation for spending four days with them in Chiredzi and Mwenezi where she was leading several community based initiatives that include train the trainer detergents making course, traditional cook-out competition, male engagement and nhanga/gota/ixhiba programmes.
The First Lady’s initiatives, they said, were selfless and calculated to ensure every Zimbabwean led a relatively comfortable life.
The women took part in a two-day train the trainers’ detergent-making course where they received starter-packs to venture into production courtesy of the First Lady through her Angel of Hope Foundation.
Some of the women also participated in the First Lady’ traditional meal cook-out competition.
So grateful were the beneficiaries of the programmes who included the elderly, widows, single mothers and young women from the province that they expressed zeal to share their newly-acquired knowledge with their communities.
Tongues of fires could be seen licking the bases of three-legged pots and clay pots as women of various ages skilfully prepared sumptuous dishes.
Among the food prepared were ginger biscuits, pies, dried cowpeas leaves, cowpeas, magandari (edible worms), road runner chicken and samoosas among many other dishes.
The women also showcased different types of fruits including mungwa which they said helps relieve constipation.
Juices included watermelon shake, maheu, rice milk which helped people cool off from the hot temperatures of the Lowveld.
“Our indigenous food is healthy and nutritious. I was overjoyed to see women showcasing the traditional dishes they prepared. In our homes, let us value traditional dishes and not feel embarrassed to the point of consuming the dishes in secluded places,” Dr Mnangagwa said.
She hammered on the importance of using one’s hands to eke an honest and dignified living.
“We are training the trainers and giving them starter-packs so that they will be able to teach others in their communities. We want this detergents project to bring forth more projects so that you assist your husbands and work together.
“This however, does not make you challenge men, but let’s remain submissive giving our husbands their rightful places. I am spearheading these projects to curb domestic violence.
“I implore women to participate in all projects that are also coming under the Agric4She initiative so that we uplift our nation, communities and families,” she said. The women who took part in cooking competition received food hampers and fruit trees from the First Lady. They all sang in admiration.
Mrs Mary Sumbani said she was thankful for the programmes which empowered womenfolk.
“We are grateful for the programme rolled out by our mother, the First Lady. She is encouraging us to prepare healthy indigenous dishes which help fight the many diseases that are prevalent today. We have our own food such as pumpkin leaves in peanut butter which lower hypertension and end diabetes. These indigenous foods are available free of charge and one only needs to know how to prepare them.
“Through these competitions, we are learning from each other on how to prepare them. The competition is also bringing unity among women. We are learning a lot thanks to our mother the First Lady,” she said.
Similar words were shared by Mrs Loveness Katambo.
“This programme teaches us to share and empower one another in terms of preparing dishes. They curb diseases like diabetes and hypertension.
“Our indigenous dishes comprise those that protect us from diseases and those that provide vitamins. Working on our own also keeps us busy as we will not have time to gossip and engage in behaviours that destroy our marriages. With the knowledge I have gathered through these competitions, I will definitely open a restaurant one day focusing on traditional dishes,” she said.
Mrs Marjory Tsoka said she had learnt a lot from the programmes initiated by the First Lady.”We have learnt that good nutrition is no longer for the rich alone. If we embrace what the First Lady is teaching us, we will never go hungry as we will just be harvesting the food from our gardens, eating chickens from our fowl runs and slaughtering goats from our own pens,” she said.
Mrs Elizabeth Maromo said she looked forward to sharing the knowledge in detergents and petroleum jelly making she had acquired with other women from her community.
“I shall share the knowledge I have acquired with other women from my community so that we kiss poverty goodbye. We want to become business women. We no longer want to be a burden to our husbands. Amai is encouraging us to use our hands and we will not let her down,” she said with pride.
In a speech read on his behalf by the acting Permanent Secretary in his office Mr Clever Chingwara, Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Ezra Chadzamira said his province felt warm because of the First Lady’s presence.
“If you keep close to a mother, you feel warm. As Masvingo province we are grateful for your love. Amai it is encouraging that through your programmes you are empowering women which means empowering the nation. The country was losing morals and you are doing all in our might to mould our children,” he said.
Everyone present received maize-meal, rice, sugar and macaroni from the First Lady while in addition the women who took part in the cooking competition received fruit trees from the First Lady to plant at their homesteads.
Online Reporter