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Tendai Rupapa in GWANDA
FIRST Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa says the quest to see an empowered and prosperous woman of Zimbabwe is pushing her to tour the country’s provinces promoting the successful implementation of various income generating projects including the detergent manufacturing initiative.
This, the mother of the nation said, she continues to do despite it being common knowledge that there were gender stereotypes in communities that hindered women’s participation in development projects.
She was speaking at an event in Matabeleland South where hundreds of women, including widows, ladies of the night, orphans, the elderly, those with disabilities and teen mothers, completed lifelong and life-changing training in detergent-making in Gwanda and were given starter-packs and certificates courtesy of First Lady Dr Mnangagwa’s multi-pronged empowerment initiatives.
The First Lady brought along officials from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs,Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development and the Women’s Bank to educate the community on how they can make a living through income generating projects.
She said it was her wish for women to unite, love one another and work with unity and love.
“Ladies, it is common knowledge that gender stereotypes inherent in our communities have hindered women’s participation in developmental projects. It is against this background that Angel of Hope Foundation had deliberately initiated detergent manufacturing skills training programme aimed at improving the experience of women in provinces especially the marginalised. Today we will all witness our participants receiving certificates that will stand as their tools of trade in detergent manufacturing and let’s all wish them prosperous entrepreneurial endeavours,” she said.
During her heart-to-heart interaction with the graduates, she said it was high time they stopped selling their bodies for a living.
“This is high time you stop selling your bodies for a livelihood. I understand we are mixed, we have vana Gogo, we have widows, we have teen mothers and we also have ladies of the night. We are saying together we are all women. We might not have managed to go to school because of the different problems and circumstances we encountered in our lives, but when things like this come make sure you are there and take advantage of it.
“Come out of that shell that you are in now and be a different person. When I travelled the other time some women who are into prostitution said ‘Amai some of us have grown up we can’t compete against youngsters who are coming in. We are no longer attractive and this is no longer conducive at our ages’. Are you the youngsters who have agreed to enter this profession? I am an ambassador for health and do you know that this exposes you to diseases and death? Some of the challenges you meet are unbearable. At times you are beaten up and you are given as little as a dollar and exposed to diseases.
“There are many young girls whom I saw here holding children. Do not be impregnated again. If I ask for the whereabouts of the father of the child, you do not know where he is. It is you and the children who have been left to suffer. As a mother I am pained that children as young as this, it can’t continue like this and I therefore came up with this project so that you start using your hands.
“I have come to encourage you and tell you that as a girl child, you have a status of every mother in this country which has to be dignified,” she said.
The mother of the nation said the project she had rolled out had to lead to other bigger projects with proper management and hard work.
“This project must lead to other projects so that things go on well. Our women’s bank and ministry of Women’s affairs is saying come along and we will help you with project proposals based on what you want to do. If you miss the point, they will correct you. I want to talk to a mother and not someone who wants to continue working as a lady of the night or someone who is continually being impregnated. I want to speak to a woman who is standing for herself. The world over and even in big economies some have however fallen because of what is happening in the world, prices are rising driven by what is happening in the globe and we said let us start this as women to counter poverty. I do not want lazy women, who gossip and disturb others. I have come to motivate and encourage you to work hard as a team of dedicated women to achieve a positive difference for yourselves and your society,” she said.
Amai Mnangagwa further urged people remain vigilant against Covid-19 saying, “The war is not yet over the pandemic is still among us, I therefore, urge people to remain vigilant and always mask up, wash your hands and maintain social distance.”
She said it was good for people get vaccinated and take booster shots as it would boost one’s immune system against the viral disease.
Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Abednio Ncube represented by the Permanent Secretary Mrs Latiso Dlamini said the First Lady’s empowerment initiatives and strategies would go a long way in developing the nation.
“We are enthused that these transformative measures are in line with National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and the Devolution which promotes employment creation,” he said.
Minister Ncube urged those who benefited to put to good use the skills they acquired and thanked the First Lady for working hard to ensure every household was self-sufficient.
“Your good works are so visible as they range from philanthropy, guidance, counselling and mentoring which is the reason why we are all gathered here,” he said.
The graduation torched celebrations as women toasted to the new lease of life while singing praises to the First Lady.
Ms Margarete Garawaziva (39), a single mother of four, who received training thanked the mother of the nation for her intervention.
“I want to thank Amai for the wonderful things she has done to us here in Gwanda which we never dreamt of. Now we are able to look after our families .
“We are deeply thankful because a home without a mother is not a home. Our mother has today shown us great love. We are thankful for teaching us to make different types of detergents. Speaking for myself, life was difficult but I am happy as I see that the burden is now lighter because of this project. She did not end on training but gave us starter packs. I want to start a business and invite her one day to see where this project would have taken me,” she said with a broad smile.
Similar words were echoed by youthful Grace Marumo 25 who punched the air with excitement.
“I am very grateful for what you have done for us as youths. As youths we now no longer loiter in the bars or abusing drugs. From today we will run with the project you have taught us and we will now be able to start our own companies. It is said that if you train a girl child you would have trained the whole country. We are thankful for the knowledge which is power,” she said.
Gogo Evelyn Dube (65), described the training programme as an inheritance for the future which no one can ever take away from her.
She said she lives with her grandchildren, including one who has a disability, and the training would enable her meet their food and schooling needs.
“Today I am thankful to the First Lady for this great inheritance she has given us. I am now able to make detergents on my own. I stay with my grandchildren. One of them is hard of hearing and cannot walk. I thank you Amai because I no longer go about begging and I can now fend for my grandchildren. I used to hear from others but today it has been brought to our doorstep,” said before bursting into a song.
This dovetailed with the views of a lady of the night, who promised to quit the world’s oldest profession and concentrate on detergent-making which did not expose her to risks of disease and being assaulted by clients.
“I was involved in prostitution and i started doing this after being dumped by my husband. Life had become unbearable. In sex work we encounter many challenges like diseases, being assaulted by clients, being stressed and many others. I feel greatly thankful for this project which will change my life. We shall train others and we are thankful for the certificates and starter-packs we received from Amai free of charge. My life and that of my children has changed. We promise not to return to the bars,” she said.
The graduates received food hampers from the First Lady containing basic commodities like mealie-meal, rice, sugar, cooking oil and salt among other goodies.
Online Reporter