admin
Tendai Rupapa recently in MOSCOW
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa took time to offer wise counsel to Zimbabweans studying in Russia and shared lighter moments with their representatives, encouraging them as a mother, to preserve good morals and to work hard in their academic pursuits.
The students, she said, needed to conduct themselves in a dignified manner to avoid embarrassing themselves, their families, the President and the nation as a whole.
She implored the students to stay away from substance and drug abuse which leads to mental health challenges and retards development.
The students included Malakai Nyamukondiwa, the president of the Zimbabwean students, who is studying Pharmacy and is in final year, Nyasha Chimoyo who is doing Land Survey, McDonald Chisadza, who is studying Aircraft Engineering, Panashe Kubvoruno who is doing Mechanical Engineering, Rejoice Paradza, who is studying Geology, Omega Machimbidza who is pursuing-Mechanical Engineering and Constantine Chigowe doing Medicine.
Chigowe is a beneficiary of the First Lady’s Angel of Hope Foundation scholarship.
Amai Mnangagwa said though studies sometimes may be difficult, the students need to work hard and achieve higher grades.
“My children, I am happy to meet and discuss with you,” she said. “Education sometimes is difficult, but I encourage you to work hard and pass. I want you to persevere and finish your studies well. I want you to forgo things that distract your studies because you can’t pursue both. Focus on what you came here for and shape yourself to be the person you want to be in the society.
“As a mother, I have a belief that after studying you will return home and one day you become employers and employ your brothers and sisters back home. I am not talking about your siblings only, but all those people in Zimbabwe are your brothers and sisters.
“So study hard my children. I was happy when I heard you (Zim students in Russia) being praised in one of my meetings here in Russia. I was told that you are well disciplined and you go wherever you are called, I heard you are very supportive. Keep it up and maintain those good morals.”
The First Lady shared her concerns with young men and women who were abusing drugs.
“Back home we are troubled by youths who are abusing drugs,” she said. “I do not want to hear that you are doing the same here. If you do so, you embarrass yourselves, your parents, myself as a mother, the President as a father, your country as well because when people see you, they see Zimbabwe. Through my Angel of Hope Foundation, I am doing all in my might to fight drug and substance abuse.
“It doesn’t mean that when you are far away like this, you do as you please. It’s not like that. We say no to those who come back pregnant, we want certificates from here. I want you to work as a team. If one is down, help him. I do not want you to be found on the wrong side of the law. Focus on your studies my children.”
The students had a chance to congratulate the First Lady on her recent award of a doctorate degree.
Malakai Nyamukondiwa said he was charmed by the First Lady’s life-changing interventions across the country.
“Firstly, we would want to congratulate you on your honorary doctorate you received in Russia. We are grateful for the opportunity you gave us to sit down and encourage us as our mother. We always hear about your works and words of advice to youths,” he said.
“As Zimbabwean students in Russia, we did a magazine showing that we have kept our manners as Zimbabweans because we are in a foreign land, we are representing our country through your teachings in the Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programmes.
“Though we are far, your teachings reach us, we always follow your programmes through reading, so the magazine we are doing is about to be published and we want it to help our brothers and sisters back home who are still to learn in a foreign land. Some of us are about to finish our studies and Amai we are ready to come back and build our nation.
“As Zimbabwean students in Russia we promise you that we will come back because the President says a country is developed by its own people. We will impart our knowledge to our country Zimbabwe.”
He thanked the Government for scholarships, saying he was happy to hear that President Mnangagwa recently commissioned a new National Pharmaceutical Warehouse in Harare and as a pharmacist he said this meant jobs for them.
Furthermore, he thanked the First Lady for scholarships through the Angel of Hope Foundation.
Rejoice Paradza praised Dr Mnangagwa for her foundation which was helping people across the country.
“Amai we want to thank you for your Angel of Hope Foundation which is touching lives and doing a lot in educating and uplifting mainly the girl child,” she said. “As a girl child I want to extend my sincere gratitude. You are an epitome of hope to those in despair.
“Some girls and women did not have an opportunity to get quality education, but through you and your foundation, girls are now attaining quality education. When in a foreign land like us, we did not throw away our culture and morals because character is oil in the lamp and it keeps us going. We promise to bring you certificates not babies, Mhamha.
“Amai, as youth, we welcomed your Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba and your noble initiative yeTraditional meal cook-out competition. People were suffering from various ailments some caused by the food we ingest, but with this initiative, lives will be saved because traditional dishes are nutritious and medicinal. We also appreciate efforts you are putting in the fight against drugs and substances. Amai, you have a passion to see the youths growing morally upright and be the leaders of tomorrow.”
Omega Machimbidza was grateful for the opportunity to study in Russia and the First Lady’s efforts to educate the girl child.
“Long back, girls were looked down upon as we were told certain degrees were for boys, but Amai you are encouraging us to work hard all the time and giving us equal opportunities in terms of education. You are encouraging us to make degrees our first husbands, this we promise you Amai. When you educate a woman, you would have educated the whole nation,” she said.
Constantine Chigowe was at a loss for words.
“Amai, from the bottom of my heart I keep thanking you for the scholarship I received from you,” she said. “Who would have known that me, a simple child from humble background in Domboshawa, would come and learn in Russia.
“Even when I scored 27 points at A-Level, I never thought I would go to university because things were bad at home. I would perform menial tasks to raise fees for my A-Level studies. You made it possible for me, now I am studying medicine.”
The First Lady expressed her joy to have met the students.
“I was happy to meet you. I will keep praying for you vanangu. We want you to excel. As youths, I am not leaving you behind,” she said.
The Director Legal Services in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Mrs Rebecca Kaviya thanked the First Lady for the wise counsel to the students.
She acknowledged the wonderful work being done by the Angel of Hope Foundation in promoting the right to access education through the provision of scholarships to vulnerable children.
Mrs Kaviya encouraged the students to return home after finishing their studies so that they could share the knowledge acquired from Russia for the benefit of the country.
Online Reporter