Online Reporter
Tendai Rupapa
Senior Reporter
A high-powered Russian delegation visited First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa at her offices on Wednesday, where they commended her for her empowerment initiatives and charity work.
They expressed interest in working with her in various fields, including agriculture, health, philanthropy, and agro-tourism, among other sectors.
The delegation was led by Dr Elena Matveeva, head of the International Centre of Business and Industrial Tourism, and Mr Sergey Putilin, president of Genesis Fertilizers Global Solutions.
Mr Putilin expressed willingness to set up a fertilizer manufacturing plant in Zimbabwe, which would be the first in Africa, in support of Agric4She patron Dr Mnangagwa’s passion and unwavering dedication to the success of the country’s agricultural sector.
The plant will manufacture organic fertiliser which offers numerous benefits for soil and plant health, including improved soil structure, enhanced nutrient content, and reduced environmental impact compared to synthetic fertilizers.
The delegation’s visit testifies to Amai Mnangagwa’s hard work and the importance of her international visits, which are yielding positive results. Some of the delegation members were on a reciprocal visit to the First Lady, having met her in Moscow, Russia.
The Russian delegation vowed to partner with the First Lady in both Agric4she and Agro-tourism4She programmes.
Owing to the sterling efforts that the First Lady is making in promoting gastronomy tourism, the delegation also said they are interested in exchange programmes with Zimbabwe in gastronomy tourism which will see the establishment of Zimbabwean kitchens in Russia.
Dr Matveeva also hinted at the coming of Russian health experts for exchange programmes with local doctors.
Mr Putlin’s wife and daughter ran a charity organisation called Rainbow Charity, and intend to partner with the First Lady’s Angel of Hope Foundation in its philanthropic work targeting mainly the elderly, people with disabilities, orphans and the less privileged.
These disadvantaged groups are at the First Lady’s heart.
In addition, on Tuesday, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Genesis Fertilizers Global Solutions and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
The MoU’s thrust is to promote women and youth participation in agriculture, the production of organic fertiliser, and also scaling up the Agric4she programme which is championed by its patron, the First Lady.
Amai Mnangagwa who warmly welcomed the visitors, expressed delight, highlighting that the empowerment projects she is undertaking in her quest to improve livelihoods in general and the welfare of women are yielding fruits since women are result-oriented.
“I am the Agriculture for She (Agric4she) patron that is agriculture for women only. What we have seen over the years is that this has improved our harvest, meaning that women are hard workers. Whatever mothers do, they do with their children. In these farming activities, they are getting into the fields and work with their sons and daughters in the process teaching them to use their hands and stay away from social ills like drug and substance abuse.
“As women in agriculture under Agric4she, we are now able to spread the food even to the regions that would not have received enough rainfall. So we want our women to be involved in all agricultural activities. Soon we are starting a wheat programme for women and that is where Genesis Fertilizer will come in and help us with fertiliser. We hope to see Genesis continue working with our Ministry of Agriculture. As women and our children and youth, we want to be in that fully because, in the end, it helps the whole family set up food security. We want to fight hunger through farming,” she said.
In addition, the First Lady told the delegation about the new programme she launched recently for women — Agrotourism4she.
The programme, she said, helps promote agricultural practices that contribute to the growth of domestic tourism in the country.
In this programme, the First Lady said she was working with the Ministries of Tourism and Agriculture.
“So Genesis, we are happy that you are here to work with us, to support us for the benefit of our farmers because we are opening new horizons, new ventures for our women in order to expand what we are doing. I am happy that when I met you in Russia, you never looked back,” she said.
Dr Matveeva said she was inspired by the First Lady’s works, hence her commitment to be part of her programmes.
“I want to express my gratitude to her Excellency for the time and opportunity to meet today for further cooperation plans. We are happy with the way you are so hardworking. You go to the people, assisting everyone without being selective. You also move around with your foundation’s mobile hospital and clinic helping people, this is commendable. We pledge to work with you and support your work. You have a passion for the empowerment of women in Zimbabwe and I will represent these women at international level. I will be making a presentation as a guest in Egypt and I will surely talk about this meeting, about Zimbabwe and what you your Excellency are doing in Zimbabwe in terms of women’s empowerment. We also want to work with you in gastronomy tourism and Agrotourism4she whereby we will organise exchange programmes taking what we have in Russia to Zimbabwe and vice versa. This will see the setting up of Russian kitchens in Zimbabwe and Zimbabwean kitchens in Russia. As the health ambassador in Zimbabwe, we want to assure her that Russian doctors are ready to come to Zimbabwe and showcase their expertise,” she said.
The First Lady who is the Tourism patron, invited the delegation to visit the country’s majestic Victoria Falls, which they gladly accepted.
In response, Dr Matveeva said she would encourage Russian tourists to visit Zimbabwe to ensure they enjoy the country’s good hospitality and beautiful sites.
Mr Putilin said it was an honour to work with the hardworking and result-oriented First Lady.
He pledged to work closely with her in support of Agric4she programme where they will be supplying organic fertilizer to women farmers through the Mother of the Nation.
“It is all about helping people to improve their yields. We will also provide technical expertise with our experts working with the farmers. We are considering setting up an organic manufacturing plant in Africa and it will be in Zimbabwe. This will also create employment for youths,” he said.
Mr IIya Putilin who works with his father at Genesis Fertilizers Global Solutions was praised by the First Lady for being an industrious young man.
He then paid tribute to Dr Mnangagwa for giving wise counsel to youngsters for them to work hard to uplift their lives, and desist from engaging in social vices like drug and substance abuse.
Mr Putilin’s wife Julia and their daughter Maria who run Rainbow Charity, highlighted some of the work they are doing in assisting the disadvantaged who include, including the elderly, people with disabilities and orphans, adding that they aim to partner with the First Lady’s Angel of Hope Foundation in doing philanthropic work.
Mrs Effie Zituta an Agric4she champion from Chipinge, Manicaland province, hailed the First Lady for her women-centric agricultural initiatives which are transforming lives.
The delegation donated rice to the Angel of Hope Foundation.
