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Tendai Rupapa–Senior Reporter
SCORES of children from primary schools around Chitungwiza on Thursday spent the day with First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa during which they shared lighter moments, life lessons, sang, danced and shared a meal in a first-of-its-kind interactive session called First Lady’s Elementary Club that captured the imagination of the community.
Like a typical grandmother, Dr Mnangagwa played games with the children and shared folklores with them as she also stepped up her fight against drug abuse, teen pregnancies and general lawlessness among youths.
Her discussion with the children touched on dressing, the need for children to perform household chores and consume traditional dishes which have high nutritional value and medicinal properties.
The initiative seeks to mould well-nurtured children as a foundation for future success, hence its grand launch with pomp and funfair.
Under the initiative, which will be taken to all provinces countrywide, the pupils were afforded the chance to ask as many questions as they wanted while the First Lady responded to all of them.
Amai Mnangagwa also posed questions to the children which they freely responded to.
So relaxed was the atmosphere that the children made song requests and had a chance to go on the dance floor with the First Lady.
Children from various schools in Chitungwiza raise hands to contribute their views at the First Lady’s Elementary Club during their interaction with the mother of the nation on Thursday
“Today, I have come in search of friends, who wants to befriend me?” she asked.
All the children raised their hands and screamed with happiness expressing their zeal to befriend her.
“How do you want us to go about it my friends?” the First Lady said.
In response, the children indicated that they wanted to play with her and also they wanted folklores and requested the First Lady to teach them the games she used to play in her days while they also teach her the games they know.
“Now on games, will I not fall nhai vazukuru vangu,” she said, triggering laughter from the children.
“I am happy to meet you all as my grandchildren. Ambuya nevazukuru vavo discuss everything without boundaries. Today I am a grandmother and not First Lady because if I say First Lady you will be consumed with fear. Do not be afraid to ask how I grew up and what we used to do back then. This will build your confidence even in class you won’t hesitate to participate or to speak in public. I want you to tell me what is exciting you these days as youngsters and if it’s bad we then counsel one another. As a grandmother I have come to seek my friends in Chitungwiza. I will do so countrywide and at the end bring you together with others from other provinces. I want us to know one another’s name, our school and grade. What is my name,” she said.
All the children shouted Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, before they also started disclosing their names.
There was a kid called Zane Manhamba, who left his peers in stitches when he said: “My name is Zane, but the name Auxillia is so good. You were given a beautiful name. When I grow up I want to be an engineer.”
Cailyn Chivega from St Aidens Primary School said she has two friends at school and they assist each other in reading.
“I love traditional dance because it helps me in virtual performing Arts subject and it also teaches me our culture as Zimbabweans which is very important,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa asked what “Dzinza” means.
Tinevimbo, who is doing Grade 6 at Fungisai Primary School, said it referred to where one’s ancestors came from. Asked what he enjoyed most, Malcom Shayamano said he loved to read and expressed his desire to see the First Lady joining them one day during their reading time.
“Why do you want me to read,” the First Lady asked with a chuckle.
In response, Malcolm said: “I want you to read with us because I want you to be a nurse. I want to be a pilot when I grow up.”
“My grandchildren, what is it that you do not like at home?”
A respondent said: “I do not want to see my peers being abused or seeing children taking drugs. They must leave this because it destroys them health wise and their future.
Amai Mnangagwa weighed in, asking whether there were children abusing drugs in the community.
“Are there people who are smoking and taking drugs here?” she asked.
In response, a student said: “I do not smoke but I heard that those who do so take a long time intoxicated. Vanenge vakasticker.”
“What is kusticker,” the First Lady asked.
The children demonstrated what an intoxicated person does like opening one’s eyes too wide while standing in one position, slurred speech, stumbling among other signs.
“If someone takes dombo or guka, they enter a state of madness to the point of assaulting parents and committing crimes. Some are consuming a highly potent brew called kambwa which burns their lungs. Indeed, drugs are bad because one might even commit crimes like rape while under the influence. We are seeing this from our brothers who will be stuck in the road,” the children told the mother of the nation.
Dr Mnangagwa sought to know whether the children were befriending people who were older than them.
A child responded: “I have a friend who was chased from home because of drugs. He was associating with older persons who introduced him to drugs and I stopped playing with him because of his bad behaviour and bad friends. He is 13 years-old and I don’t know where he is now but some people said he was living in the streets.”
Another student said: “I have friends who bring phones to school where they will be watching pornographic material. I counselled them and they excluded me from their group and we no longer associate.”
The First Lady took time to counsel and teach the children on the issues they raised.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa admires the hairstyle of one of the schoolchildren during an interactive session at the First Lady’s Elementary club in Chitungwiza on Thursday
“In terms of household chores, are you doing any? She asked.
The children said they were watering gardens, cleaning dishes, helping in cooking, washing, cleaning the house and assisting in weeding among other chores.
Dr Mnangagwa further taught them the importance of performing household chores and obeying their parents.
“What time do you bath and how many times a day?” she asked.
A learner left the crowd in stitches when she said she baths three times a day, in the morning, afternoon and evening.
Other learners laughed saying they would be at school in the afternoon, making it impossible for their friend to bath as she claimed.
The First Lady then taught the children personal hygiene and cleanliness in general.
“What’s your favourite food,” she asked.
In response, the children said white sadza, rice, chicken, sorghum sadza, sweet potatoes, eggs, fish, fresh chips, pies and snacks.
She then hammered on the importance of consuming traditional dishes which are nutritious and have medicinal properties.
“This is energy-giving food and I encourage you to eat this so that you grow strong.”
“Who buys your clothes and what are they like,” she asked.
In response, one girl said: “My mother buys me good clothes like jeans but I rip them because it’s fashionable. We call this bvaru-bvaru style.”
Some of the students said their parents bought them clothes like miniskirts and bum shorts.
The First Lady said children had to wear dignified clothes which are respectable in the African way and before elders.
She also touched on love relationships.
“Are there some among us who are involved in love relationships?” she asked and the children all laughed saying they were still young.
However, according to the children, some Grade 7 pupils were said to be having sexual relationships at school.
Dr Mnangagwa educated them on the dangers of having sexual relations at tender ages.
There was time for idioms and figures of speech.
If a child shared an idiom, the First Lady would ask the children what it meant and where they failed, she chipped in explaining the meaning.
The First Lady, who is also the country’s health ambassador, reiterated that Covid-19 was far from over and implored everyone to observe the prevention protocols of masking up, washing hands regularly with soap and running water and observing social distancing.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter