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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter
THE curtain has finally come down on year 2023, which can best be described as having been eventful and successful for trailblazing First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.
Her solution-based approach, which has led to the total empowerment of women, children, the elderly, widows, the disabled and a host of other vulnerable groups, captured the imagination of the world.
Amai Mnangagwa realised countless successes in many areas including nutrition, agriculture, health, culture, empowerment and education to name but a few, yet she remains resolute and geared to deliver.
Love, passion and hard work featured prominently on the list of weapons she deftly uses to realise her dreams and impact positively on the lives of the many people who benefit from her well-packaged life-changing programmes.
A free and ever-smiling personality who is humble and all embracing, the First Lady constantly tells people that the word “First Lady” is just a title and she is just like any other woman who has a responsibility to work hard and bequeath a good legacy to the next generation.
Dr Mnangagwa gives with an open heart and derives joy in making the lives of other people better.
Today, many have lived to tell how their lives were touched and transformed for the better while some will live to admire, emulate and forever remember the impact as her work speaks for itself.
Through her Angel of Hope Foundation and as an individual, she is touching many lives.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland East Aplonia Munzverengwi join women in shelling groundnuts harvested from a farm she initiated and planted during one of her nationwide AGRIC4SHE programmes to economically empower women
In all she does, the First Lady is not just giving people fish, but teaching them to catch the fish on their own so they can sustain themselves in the future through her all-encompassing and well-thought-out empowerment programmes.
At a time when the rest of the world is grappling with the El Nino phenomenon which is characterised by high temperatures and low rainfall due to climate change, the First Lady intensified her promotion of traditional grains like sorghum, rapoko, millet and pearl millet which thrive in extreme weather conditions yet they have high nutritional value and medicinal properties.
Such vision earned her plaudits across the world, reinforcing her image as a goal oriented, resolute and well-meaning mother of the nation.
She distributed traditional grain seed packs and all inputs to chiefs’ spouses and communities countrywide and participated in the ploughing, weeding and harvesting before going on to start traditional meal cookout competitions which culminated in a regional competition.
Because of her work ethic and efforts, Zimbabwe participated in the Gastronomy Tourism Expo in Spain where Zimbabwean dishes were prepared and shared with delegates from the rest of the world thus putting Zimbabwe on the map.
Tourism and Hospitality patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili and other delegates follow proceedings during the 8th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism where she led Zimbabwean women to showcase Zimbabwean traditional dishes in Donostia San Sebastian, Spain in October
So popular were Zimbabwean traditional dishes at the expo that guests were left clamouring for more.
Gastronomy tourism promotes the consumption of typical products of each region.
In addition, it generates employment and income.
Dr Mnangagwa also invited her fellow African First Ladies to a high level event which she organised.
Again, the guests during their stay, were treated to mouth-watering Zimbabwean indigenous dishes much to their delight and they paid glowing tribute to the mother of the nation for her vision.
The high-level event, which also brought together top officials from UN organisations and health ministers from across the globe, was held as a precursor to the International Conference on Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections (ICASA) 2023.
The mother of the nation also held a highly successful culture night where the exclusively Zimbabwean cuisines were served alongside the showcasing of various attires that can be made from the national fabric under the #Jira Takaenda NaAmai aimed at promoting the country’s national dress.
Still on nutrition, Dr Mnangagwa as Agric4She patron spearheaded countrywide empowerment projects for women to venture into vegetable production, potato farming, chicken rearing, goat production and encouraged them to grow crops for storage in their granaries for future use.
Zimbabwean tertiary students and Tourism Minister Barbara Rwodzi who went with Tourism and Hospitality patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa to the 8th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism learn how to prepare dishes in one of the hospitality training centres in Donostia San Sebastian, Spain in October
She promoted the climate-proofed Pfumvudza agricultural programme where she distributed seed, chemicals and fertilisers to beneficiaries while she also actively participated in the cultivation and harvesting of the crops.
In the health sector, the First Lady, who is the country’s health ambassador, scored major success while working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
She mobilised resources to construct clinics and mothers waiting shelters in the country’s hard to reach areas as part of measures to end risky home deliveries which often resulted in mortalities in the event that there were complications.
The mother of the nation is also building a hospital for the benefit of the nation.
She ensured all citizens had access to improved health care and used her foundation’s mobile clinic to have women screened for cervical and breast cancer and other non-communicable diseases to ensure they are commenced on treatment early to save life.
Men were not left out.
She had them tested for prostate cancer and engaged them in meaningful conversations to curb gender-based violence, end child marriages and build stronger families centred on the solid principles of love, hard work and commitment.
Her male engagement sessions across the country’s provinces were oversubscribed ensuring that her messages of love, unity and the art of living and working together permeated right down to the roots of communities.
Zimbabwean traditional dishes which were consumed by delegates at the 8th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism where First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa led Zimbabwean women in showcasing Zimbabwean traditional dishes in Donostia San Sebastian, Spain in October
The First Lady who is against child marriages, is driving a strong message into the hearts of many to make the world a safe and better place for all the people especially the girl child.
She always reminds offenders and would-be offenders that the long arm of the law will catch up with them.
Her programmes included people in decision-making positions like chiefs, community leaders, parliamentarians and ordinary people who were all granted a platform to be heard so that tangible and practical solutions to their grievances could be crafted.
She also included experts in various fields on her panels so that people could receive sound advice which allowed them to make informed choices for the benefit of their families, communities and the nation at large.
Often neglected and often called names by some people who regard them as prostitutes and husband snatchers, widows had a reason to celebrate the First Lady in 2023.
She formed the First Lady’s Widows Association and engaged them in various empowerment projects to ensure they earned income to sustain themselves and their children.
She organised sessions between them, the Master of the High Court and other relevant stakeholders to ensure they knew their rights.
This followed disturbing situations where widows were stripped of properties and chased from homes by greedy relatives of their deceased husbands.
Amai Mnangagwa also took it upon herself to fight the drug menace which is rearing an ugly head among youths by introducing sporting activities where survivors share their experiences for the benefit of others.
She holds regular interactive sessions with youths to conscientise them of the effects of taking drugs which include mental disorders and even death.
In Mbare, one of the country’s oldest suburbs and densely populated areas, she opened a skills centre for drug addicts and the community specializing on various income generating projects.
During the year under review, Dr Mnangagwa scored major successes in the area of environmental protection.
Working with agencies like the Forestry Commission, she spearheaded the planting of trees including fruit trees and indigenous trees to restore the country’s forests, plant cover and reclaim areas that had been affected.
Dr Mnangagwa partnered the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to create employment and promote recycling of waste so that citizens continue living in a clean environment.
She led cleanliness campaigns where she advised people on the need to keep the environment clean to keep diseases at bay.
Schoolchildren queue to ask questions from different career resource persons during a career guidance and grooming programme organised and launched by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa
She always reminded communities the importance of trees in the context of climate change and the need to improve nutrition with fruits therefrom.
On the education front, 2023 goes down in history as the year where the First Lady mobilised scholarships for children in various fields as part of her resolve to empower the nation and ensure citizens fully participated in the country’s macro-economic development.
Amai Mnangagwa introduced a scholarship for youthful disadvantaged but academically gifted Zimbabweans who aspire to be pilots and is calling for applicants through her Angel of Hope Foundation to enroll for the 2024 academic year.
She encouraged people, especially women, to pursue their studies.
And to lead by example, the First Lady is pursuing a PhD with a local university.
Dr Mnangagwa’s transparency in ensuring that donated goods and services reach the intended beneficiaries has seen many corporate organisations and individuals keen to work with her in efforts to transform the lives of other citizens for the better.
Major Helland Sibanda from the Zimbabwe National Army lets schoolchildren touch and feel the camouflage uniform during a career guidance organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Harare
With the successes scored, the nation is clearly geared to realise more in the coming year, courtesy of the mother of the nation.
She is indeed a champion who has done and is still doing a lot of work whose list is endless.
Schoolchildren plant trees during one of the national tree planting programmes initiated by Environment and Wildlife patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in all the country’s districts
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa leads children who live and work on the streets and drug abusers in planting vegetables in a garden she established at the skills development and training centre she launched in Mbare, Harare
Health Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and her counterparts Mrs Neo Jane Masisi (Botswana), Mrs Isaura Nyusi (Mozambique), Mrs Oluremi Tinubu (Nigeria) and representatives of Angolan and Burundi First Ladies follow proceedings during a performance by Iyasa drama and dance group during the ICASA conference in Victoria Falls
Mozambican First Lady Mrs Isaura Nyusi dances to Mozambican songs which were played by Sandra Ndebele at a welcome dinner hosted by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa on the sidelines of the 22nd ICASA conference in Victoria Falls in December
Nigerian First Lady Sen Oluremi Tinubu dances to music which was played by Sandra Ndebele at a welcome dinner hosted by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa on the sidelines of the 22nd ICASA conference in Victoria Falls in December
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa interacts with schoolchildren, among them, some living with disabilities during one of her nationwide elementary club and school feeding programmes
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa distributes blankets and food hampers in one of her countrywide outreach programmes to empower marginalised and disadvantaged communities who include the elderly, orphans among other groups
Women queue for cancer screening at an Angel of Hope Foundation mobile clinic, a nationwide initiative by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa
Models display their designer-made national fabric attire at the cultural night which was organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa at State House in December. – Pictures: John Manzongo
Musicians, Sulumani Chimbetu, Diana Samkange, Gwevedzi and Mathias Mhere during their collaborative piece called “Jira Takaenda naAmai” while clad in designer-made attire made from the national fabric at the cultural night at State House in December
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and Colonel Miniyothabo Chiwenga (wife of Vice President Chiwenga) share a lighter moment clad in their designer made attires made from the national fabric during the cultural night at State House in December
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa interacts with an elderly woman after handing her mealie meal and other goodies during one of her numerous nationwide outreaches to vulnerable and disadvantaged members of society
Models display their national fabric attire at the cultural night which was organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa at State House in December
Environment and Wildlife patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa teaches people how to randomly scatter seed balls while Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza and other dignitaries look on as she launched the clay coating broadcasting seed balls in Chimanimani
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa hands over a hamper to one of the students during a children’s party she hosted a day before the country’s 43rd Independence celebrations in Mashonaland Central. Looking on are former Primary and Secondary Minister Evelyn Ndlovu and former Minister of State and Devolution for Mashonaland Central Monica Mavhunga
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa hands over a certificate in nurse aide and palliative care to a form six student who took a keen interest in the short courses programme being offered by Angel of Hope Foundation in partnership with ZOU countrywide
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