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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter
THERE was a graduation with a difference at the Booster, a former hub for drugs and prostitution in Epworth, where 1 460 people, including former ladies of the night, widows, widowers, youths, the disabled and orphans, graduated in various disciplines under an all-encompassing life-changing empowerment partnership between First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s Angel of Hope Foundation and Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU).
The Booster had a bad name, but the First Lady is helping improve its image through her empowerment programmes which are being implemented there.
She is keen on giving the area a new face. A celebration party was thrown for the graduates by the First Lady.
The certificates holders had the privilege of rubbing shoulders and sharing a meal with the mother of the nation who personally prepared the food with her team which included sadza, dried vegetables and beef mixed with sugar beans.
Amai Mnangagwa is promoting the consumption of traditional dishes which have high nutritional value and medicinal properties.
The graduates danced, ululated and whistled to mark their great day.
This was the second graduation after an initial one which had 1 065 graduates in a move to uplift the sprawling settlement which was infamous for prostitution, drug abuse and murder, among many other vices.
Already, residents say there is a marked decline in prostitution and drug abuse as people are committing time to studying Agriculture, Counselling, Information Communication Technology, Early Childhood Development (ECD), Law, Business management and Sign Language, among many courses that are being offered free of charge.
When the First Lady initially visited paBooster, she declared that such vices would soon come to an end and this is what is happening through her empowerment initiatives.
Previously, she has taken churches along to the Booster to hold prayers as a way of cleansing the area and ensure its residents led dignified lives.
Yesterday’s eldest graduate was 70-years-old, showing that everyone with zeal to learn was being afforded an opportunity to do so.
ZOU vice chancellor Professor Paul Gundani congratulated Dr Mnangagwa for being honoured by GD Goenka University of India for her philanthropic work.
“I believe you now all see that our vision as ZOU was not off the mark seeing the great work that Amai has been doing for a long time now. She is a person who has love and a passion to uplift everyone including the downtrodden.
“We what to thank her as ZOU that we saw it fit to work with her. Others saw this from overseas and that is why she was given the doctorate because of her great work which we also saw,” he said amid applause.
“Your Excellency, your genuine human regard for the people made us as ZOU analyse your concern for community work and outreach as well as development and we found it worthy just as the GD Goenka University in India did to work with you and partner with you.”
Prof Gundani said the First Lady’s vision and hard work were paying off for the country in great way.
“As Epworth we must thank God for the blessing of having the First Lady come in person to give certificates to our graduates,” he said. “Today Amai, I am presenting to you 1 460 graduates who have complemented life-changing, lifelong transformative short courses in the following subjects Agriculture, Arts and Culture, Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Counselling, Disability Management as well as Sign Language.
“We also have a group that has completed Nurse Aid and Palliative Course and we also have among them those who have completed Computer Literacy. Your children were steadfast and have zeal to learn and uplift themselves.”
It was ZOU’s desire, Prof Gundani said, to uplift communities so that by 2030 people would have acquired knowledge.
He thanked the ZOU lectures for training people to make a lasting impact in their communities and families.
The First Lady said she had passion to uplift communities, hence the decision to offer courses to the people through the partnership with ZOU.
“I came to Booster thrice and this is my fourth trip,” she said. “Each visit had its agenda. Today allow me to share with you what has brought me here again.
“Firstly, I want to emphasise that nobody can reach his or her highest potential alone, but we need each other and it is for this reason that Desmond Tutu from South Africa said ‘I am because you are, you are because we are’.
“In other words, one cannot live alone only for oneself because whether we like it or not, a thousand fibres connect all of us together. Sometimes we consider ourselves too small to be effective but imagine how the tiny mosquito can effectively keep you awake the whole night. Did you ever imagine how the short courses can make an impact on your life.”
The mother of the nation encouraged the graduates to think highly of the short courses.
“Today I say to you that if you are lag behind, its your own choice,” she said. “ZOU came offering courses free of charge and we want to thank them. I also want to thank you for congratulating me for the degree I earned from another country.
“I didn’t know that what I am doing is being noticed by some people far away. I am happy that Epworth has transformed especially this area paBooster because when i first came here ndakanzwa nyaya dzinotyisa uye dzinonyadzisira dzaiitwa pano. You have transformed in a short time.
“Any situation can create a learning situation that can touch the lives of many just as ZOU short courses are touching the lives of many. Similar training is currently ongoing in Manicaland, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Mashonaland East where 46 women from the Open Prison completed the varied ZOU short courses and they stressed how proud they were to take home a university certificate.”
The First Lady paid glowing tribute to ZOU for accepting all students, including those in prison.
“I am saying to you all, please leave the work of darkness which we cant talk about in our country and start using knowledge that you have acquired from ZOU,” she said. Be industrious at home. Do not let your situation reduce you to a nobody or nothing.
“Remember what I once said and I reiterate it again today, you Epworth Booster community, you are worth more than you can imagine. I was troubled in my mind and even today I am troubled time and again if I read certain stories.
“I once brought churches to pray for this place and darkness has vanished. Delete the past about the booster because you now have a new life in Epworth where issues of development are orders of the daily living and today I am here to embrace the effects of my last visit to the Booster.
“It is such reasons that ZOU committed itself to offering quality short courses education to girls and women, men and boys living in disadvantaged communities. The fruits are the ones we have come to celebrate. This is why you have invited me.
“The Angel of Hope Foundation in partnership with ZOU for community empowerment through open learning takes quality education as education that is meaningful, worthwhile and responsive to the social needs of communities regulated by the principle of entitlement hence the free access to university education that does not leave anyone and no place behind.”
Dr Mnangagwa said during her time at university there were many entry requirements, but with ZOU it is different.
“The programme has given special opportunities to everyone to have access to a useful educational programme from the young to the old,” she said. “We remember Gogo who was over 70 years, but still came to school and now she has her certificate.
“What about you a young child. What are you doing? Ask yourself why an elderly lady valued education at that age. This is because she is still living and has plans for the future. She is still on earth and needs to work.
“The flexibility of this programme has been greatly applauded nationwide as anyone facing any circumstance was welcome to participate.”
The First Lady said those who studied Agriculture must not just focus on the plough, but also keep chickens, goats and horticulture so that they sustain themselves.
She also implored those who studied Early Childhood Development to work together and come up with a solid project, not small disunited crèches.
She commended Mr Douglas who is living with disability who took more than five courses in the first intake and more in the second intake.
Those who graduated yesterday, could be seen punching the air with excitement and thanked the First Lady for her benevolence and her love which is unmatched.
One of the graduates, Pastor Richard Muzviwana (43), who took up four courses, including counselling and ICT, was on cloud nine and said the training would improve his approach to work.
“I want to thank Amai for she is an angel that was sent to us by God, especially for us here in Epworth,” he said. “I am a pastor and through the ICT programme I can now preach while presenting things using Power Point in church, something I could not do for I did not have the knowledge.
“Here at Booster, people used to do as they pleased as some were into drugs while others into prostitution, therefore my counselling course will come in handy as I will go around counselling the youths urging them to quit drugs for good.
“This programme will change our area and we can safely say poverty has gone. The bible says my people are ruined by lack of knowledge. When people have knowledge they are empowered to do projects and stand on their own through economic emancipation.”
Equally upbeat was Mrs Doreen Pedzisai Katsanga (54), who did nurse aide training.
“I would want to thank greatly our First Lady who introduced these programmes so that people abstain from drugs, prostitution and abstain from early marriages,” she said. “I am a community care giver so nurse aide course will help me a lot in executing my duties.
“I failed to go to university because I didn’t have enough requirements, but today I am openly graduating because of Amai’s love. She goes to the grassroots even where she hears things are not well like paBooster which had a bad reputation, because of her, it now has a good name. Cases of prostitution, drug abuse and early marriages are declining.”
Similar views were shared by Mrs Bevy Gwara (54) who studied ICT, ECD and nurse aide.
“I took these programmes because using the nurse aide course I can take care of my relatives who would have fallen sick and the elderly members of our societies,” she said.
“With the ECD course, I can now open my own creche becoming my own boss. Here in Epworth there were so many cases of murder and prostitution. Previously Epworth was looked down upon, but Amai is uplifting this area.”
Twenty-year-old Tryselder Mudarikwa expressed gratitude to the First Lady.
“I thank her for what she did for us and the programmes that she gave us,” she said. “I did arts because this is what I enjoyed even at school. I did Culture and Heritage Studies and ICT. We thank Amai for what she did for us because as youths there are a few who are getting the opportunity to learn.
“Most children are dropping out of school because of many circumstances which the First Lady is correcting. As girls, we end up being involved in prostitution, like this area was infamous for that. We were sent to school free of charge, may she continue with her love.”
Mr Simon Mashonganyika (24) said he never thought he would attain university education because of his poor O-Level results, but the First Lady had made this possible.
“I did arts and culture,” he said. “I failed my ordinary levels and had literally given up on education. When I heard about the programmes I went and registered and the rest is history. I thank President Mnangagwa for allowing the First Lady to move around the country rolling out programmes which are beneficial to us.
“I now have a university certificate. If I am empowered, why would I waste my time doing drugs which are dangerous.”
Thanking the First Lady for preparing a healthy meal for them, Gogo Sheila Ziso (60 said; “I am thankful for the hearty healthy meal prepared by the First Lady who also ate with us. Amai is promoting the consumption of traditional dishes and by preparing the same meals, she is indeed walking the talk.
“When we go back to our houses, we will continue eating traditional meals which are nutritious and medicinal.”
Outstanding students who received special awards were given gifts by the First Lady.
Epworth Member of Parliament, Cde Zalera Makari, thanked the First Lady for her efforts in empowering the community and giving it the much needed facelift after years of being neglected.
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