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Tendai Rupapa and Elita Chikwati
FIRST Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has, through her Angel of Hope Foundation, donated food for the health and nutritional requirements of the needy during the Covid-19 lockdown.
The First Lady donated food to Mutemwa Leprosy and Catholic Care Centre in Mutoko and Newstart Children’s Home and Baby Centre in Harare, where she handed over goods that included maize, sugar beans, rice, cooking oil, soap, blankets, clothes, seed and chickens.
Mutemwa Leprosy and Catholic Care Centre is home to 35 people, who include post leprosy patients, people living with disabilities and destitutes from outside Zimbabwe.
Newstart Children’s Home and Baby Centre has under its care 100 children whose ages range from newborn babies to those who have been nursed by the home to reach university level.
The assistance comes at a time when the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19, which has resulted in the elderly and other vulnerable groups running out of food.
Angel of Hope Foundation director, Ms Chipiwa Mundandanda handed over a consignment of goods to Mutemwa Leprosy and Catholic Care Centre on behalf of Amai Mnangagwa.
The centre houses post leprosy patients, with some who came from countries like Malawi and Mozambique for treatment and care.
Some of these people could not return to their countries and are now residing at the centre. Though the centre is involved in piggery, fish farming and gardening, it sometimes faces challenges after the projects flop, leaving inmates in need of help.
This is not the first time that Amai Mnangagwa has made an intervention at Mutemwa and orphanages. The Mutoko community expressed gratitude to the First Lady for remembering the needy, especially during this time of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Mrs Colleta Mafuka (78), who has been at the centre for years, expressed gratitude to the First Lady saying: “We live on charity through loving people who remember the less-privileged. May God bless Amai and may she continue to remember us.”
Mr Paul Kalimaduri (69) thanked Amai Mnangagwa for her kind gesture.
“The intervention is timely,” he said. “We are getting into winter and these clothes will help us keep warm.”
Father Linus Mukumbuzi said by giving the needy, the First Lady had also ministered to God.
“When one gives the poor, he or she will be doing it not only for the vulnerable, but also for God,” he said. “The First Lady has enhanced our service to the people at the centre.”
Senate President, Senator Mabel Chinomona, implored the Mutoko community to emulate the First Lady and help the needy.
“We hope her projects through Angel of Hope Foundation will continue to flourish and she continues to help the needy,” she said. “As Mutoko community, we are very happy and we thank her for the gesture.”
Mutemwa board vice chairperson Jessie Majome thanked the First Lady for providing the centre with basic commodities.
“For the work at the centre to progress, we rely on charity,” she said. “We thank the First Lady so much for the gesture.”
In a speech read on her behalf by Ms Mundandanda, the First Lady urged local businesspeople, organisations and individuals to assist in taking care of the vulnerable people in society.
“I urge people from different parts of the country to assist people at the centre,” she said. “Churches can also come and have prayers here. This is a holy place.
“I urge people at the centre to continue working hard on your income generating projects. The maize and traditional seed is for you to plant during the farming season so you can boost food production.”
At Newstart Children’s Home, the First Lady in a speech read on her behalf by Angel of Hope Foundation board member Mrs Rachel Nield-Geranios, said she had been prompted to act by Covid-19 and the effects it was having on food security.
She quoted Matthew 25 verse 35.
“As you are aware, this virus has kept us very busy in caring for the underprivileged members of our society,” said the First Lady in her speech. “This is a big challenge for many governments in the world, particularly in African countries with low Gross Domestic Product.
“The office of the First Lady and the Angel of Hope Foundation have been spending time trying to assist the underprivileged members of our society. We continue to urge in particular church organisations to focus on those most in need and complement Government’s social protection programmes under the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.”
In caring for vulnerable groups, the First Lady spelt the need to sacrifice and help others in need.
“This is the time that we should show the world that as a nation we are united in our resolve to fight the coronavirus. As we focus on material needs, let us not forget to pray for the spiritual needs of the nation. Pastors and reverends should pray for the nation for people to see the love of God even in these difficult times. Let us pray for our health workers and for other frontline workers in the fight against Covid-19.”
Newstart assistant administrator Mrs Florence Chiremba said the home was excited to have received help from the First Lady and wished her strength in providing resources to the needy.
“I would like to thank the First Lady from the deepest part of my heart because I know she has done it out of love,” she said. “This is what we call love. The Bible says, Jesus is the reason we even know what love is. In laying down his life for us, he taught us everything we need to know about true love.
“The donation is timely and will go a long way in assisting this home. We pray that God gives you good health so that you can continue to help the underprivileged and others in need. The donation will make a big difference during this Covid-19 pandemic and the coming winter season.”
The First Lady has spared no effort to ensure no one goes hungry during the current lockdown and has also been leading from the front, teaching rural communities about Covid-19.
Online Reporter