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Tendai Rupapa-Senior Reporter
FIRST Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, who is the patron of Angel of Hope Foundation, yesterday received 950 sewing machines from the Government of India for use in her multi-pronged empowerment initiatives countrywide geared to make women and youths financially stable through skills training and employment creation.
The First Lady, who is the country’s health ambassador, has also been promoting the sewing of reusable sanitary pads to improve menstrual hygiene and ease the plight of women in disadvantaged communities.
To date, many women and the girl child countrywide have benefited from her sewing project where the First Lady through her foundation has been offering skills training, donating sewing machines, materials and all other accessories for the success of the project.
Dr Mnangagwa is also donating sewing machines to schools countrywide and offering reusable pad making training to the school children so that no pupil misses school during their menstrual cycle owing to lack of pads.
Therefore, the donation from India will boost Amai Mnangagwa’s already running projects as she is passionate about women empowerment and development of communities.
During his visit in the month of June, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V Muraleedharan gifted one sample sewing machine to the First Lady as the consignment was getting ready for dispatch from India.
Presenting the machines to the First Lady yesterday, Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Vijay Khanduja said the gifting of the sewing machines was in recognition of the philanthropic work being done by Angel of Hope Foundation under the patronage of the First Lady.
The First Lady recently visited India where she met various organisations and individuals who were willing to support her Foundation, a sign that her tremendous work is being recognised far and wide.
It is during that visit that the pledge of donating sewing machines was made.
“Madam First Lady’s efforts are geared towards promoting not just health, hygiene and well-being, but also values, morality and integrity-based approach to life.
“All of these are very much needed in today’s world. The welfare of society is not just the task of one individual or one organisation, but that of all others who can must contribute,” he said.
The sewing machines, he said, will empower the women and make them financially independent and breadwinners for the family.
“When we empower women, we empower the entire family. I will repeat the often quoted remark that ‘give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime.’
“I hope the sewing machines and the skill training that is provided by Angel of Hope Foundation will have the effect of supporting the families over a long period of time,” he said.
The ambassador acknowledged that the First Lady was playing an important role in promoting strong bilateral ties between India and Zimbabwe.
The First Lady visited India in May where she held meetings with various organisations there to promote ties in health, education, environment, tourism and agriculture sectors.
In the field of healthcare India has donated medicines, including in the fight against Covid-19 and tuberculosis, ambulances and covaxin vaccines.
The cooperation in the education sector sees a number of students going to study in India annually both self-funded and on scholarships.
The ambassador said there was a need to do a lot more to harness the untapped potential of India-Zimbabwe bilateral relations as also to support the vulnerable communities through service projects.
“Once again I would like to commend her Excellency the First Lady and her Foundation for being a beacon of hope,” he said.
In her acceptance remarks, the mother of the nation said she felt honoured to witness the power of humanity through the donation of sewing machines by the Government of India through its embassy in its quest to support the fundamentals and good works of Angel of Hope Foundation.
The sewing machines, she said, will assist in empowering the women and youths as training gadgets for sewing sanitary ware, uniforms and dresses in general.
“This will help them to earn a living at the same time supporting the less privileged with the knowledge on how to use the sewing machines and how to maintain them for efficiency and a prolonged lifespan.
“The precious gift came as a pivotal pillar to support my efforts to make sure that each and every less privileged Zimbabwean gets affordable sanitary ware and improved livelihood,” she said.
“It has become a norm that during my Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programmes countrywide, I would carry some reusable sanitary pads and issue them to the girl child after teaching them acceptable African cultural norms values and behaviours.
“Now it would be my turn to move around all places where these machines would have been disbursed, inspecting the sewing products and checking how the products are benefiting the people in those areas.”
Dr Mnangagwa said it was one of the key drivers of Angel of Hope Foundation to facilitate women empowerment through training in different facets of life such as detergent manufacturing, cooking and sewing, to mention but just a few.
“It is my wish that the significance of these training programmes improve the living standards of the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“Your Excellency the Ambassador of India, I want to assure you that this donation will not only benefit Angel of Hope Foundation in its empowerment drive but Zimbabwe as a nation.
“I say this because the training programmes that would be supported by these sewing machines will help the whole nation in several ways that is reducing rural-urban migration, curtail dependency syndrome, promote income generation, create employment and improve the standard of living and enhance skills development resulting in reduced early child marriages, curb drug and substance abuse as well as reduce domestic violence.
“This donation will help eradicate poverty in so many ways from a humble beginning. Let me take this opportunity to implore the local leadership and the business fraternity to also come in handy with materials such as cloth, thread and other accessories to support the growth of sanitary ware, uniforms and dress making training programmes.”
Earlier, the First Lady had showered the Indian Ambassador with praises and said she was a beneficiary from India as she received a PHD from GD Goenka University who were monitoring her works.
“I want to thank the Indian Government, through your embassy here in Zimbabwe for your support. When it comes to the machines to support the girl child, I knew they would come because you are a man of his words through your Government. What you tell your Government is the truth that you see where you are serving,” she said.
The machines could not have come at any better time as they will help Amai Mnangagwa immensely in her empowerment programmes.
Online Reporter