Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa
Herald Reporter
CULTURE and Heritage Ambassador, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, took her celebrated Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba life skills session to Masvingo Province, where thousands of primary and secondary learners gathered for a day of cultural pride and moral renewal.
The highly interactive and impactful moral restoration event was held at Maungwa Secondary School in Gutu South.
It comes at a time when children are straying from traditional values, influenced by Western culture and the unchecked impact of social media, leading some into drug and substance abuse, premarital sex and other immoral behaviours.
From the moment the day began, the atmosphere was electric, filled with hard-hitting truths, heartfelt confessions, and soul-stirring lessons as Mother Zimbabwe equipped the young generation with wisdom to navigate the moral challenges of life.
Under the guidance of elders, boys were taught how to slaughter goats, as well as use traditional tools which, in the vernacular Shona language, are gwara, mbezo, bhidha, demo, bhemba, hara, bakatwa, rekeni, foshoro, kuveza rusero, musika and mugoti.
One of the captivating boys was neatly dressed, wearing an animal skin (dehwe).
The slaughtered goats were prepared and taken to the girls, who also slaughtered chickens before displaying their cooking prowess in traditional dishes such as mbwire mbwire yenyemba, nhopi, ngozha, mbeva, ishwa, hohwa unedovi, mufushwa wemunyemba, mutakura, rupiza, manhanga, madora, and muramba (catfish).
Among the fruits also showcased to the First Lady and guests were masawu, mawuyu, matohwe, shumha, harurwa, majenya, and matohwe, mazhanje (mashunje).
Mother Zimbabwe was amazed by the impressive responses given by the girls when she inquired how some of the traditional meals are prepared.
Also on display was chinu, a decorated calabash, or a traditional Shona jar, that a woman culturally brings to her marriage. It is primarily used to hold ointment and is considered an important family property, carrying the vows of the marriage and signifying the family mother’s role.
The girls also showcased skills in pounding traditional grains, joined by the First Lady, who demonstrated how it is done.
Afterwards, Mother Zimbabwe met with girls in a closed-door Nhanga session, accompanied by elderly women, while boys gathered in the Gota under the guidance of elderly men, traditional and community elders.
The sessions were punctuated with candid discussions on peer pressure, drug and substance abuse, the evils of same-sex relationships, bullying, teenage pregnancies, relationships and social media abuse, among others.
In the Nhanga, Dr Mnangagwa asked, “What is a girl?” with one learner saying, “humhandara.”
Mother Zimbabwe also asked, “Kuzvibata kudii?” with one learner leaving the crowd in stitches before saying, “kuchengetedza chikwama.”
The topic of preserving virginity was central, as Dr Mnangagwa encouraged the girls to maintain it until marriage, after they have completed their professions.
The girls were also taught menstrual hygiene.
Sister Mary Shezhu also urged the girls to dress modestly and to avoid engaging in sexual relationships.
In the Gota session, under the guidance of Chiefs Gutu, Chiwara, Mazuru, and Pastor Taruwona, boys were asked how to abstain from sex at a tender age, dress properly, avoid homosexuality and shun drugs and substances.
They were also taught life skills expected of boys and later, when they marry, were prepared with lessons on the proper procedures to follow when marrying.
Addressing both boys and girls in a combined session, Dr Mnangagwa said parents, teachers, and the wider community must work together to build strong foundations for children.
“Raising children is the responsibility of everyone, parents, family, every community member and even the Government.
“We have come together around the Nhanga/Gota, the sacred spaces that shape a person. It all begins there, with values, respect and discipline,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa emphasised that her focus is to see girls grow into respectable women and boys into men of integrity, both showing mutual respect.
“Let us respect one another, brothers and sisters alike. To our young women, dress decently and with dignity. Present yourselves in a way that earns respect. And to our fathers and elders, keep your eyes and hearts pure. These young girls are your daughters and granddaughters.
“It breaks my heart to hear of elderly men abusing children. Such acts are evil and must be condemned in the strongest terms. We must reject and cast out those dark spirits from our communities,” she said.
The event was graced by war veterans, whom the First Lady applauded for their role in the liberation struggle and likened their current involvement in the moral restoration drive to a new war against social vices.
“I thank our Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators Association (ZILWACO) for their support. You stood with us during the struggle for our nation, and now you stand with us again as we work to restore our moral values by fighting social vices such as drug abuse,” she said.
Mother Zimbabwe encouraged the elderly and community leaders to take an active role in guiding children, while urging churches to continue playing their part in building moral character.
“Many of our children are being raised in too much comfort, in what some call a ‘soft life.’ This has made it difficult for them to face the real challenges of life. We must teach them responsibility, hard work, and resilience,” she said.
“Above all, let us remain united as families. Let us lead our children with love, patience, and integrity.
“Together as parents, as leaders, and as a nation, we must raise a generation that knows right from wrong, a generation that will build a better Zimbabwe for us all.”
Dr Mnangagwa, a champion of social justice who opened a model drug and rehabilitation centre in Harare, also condemned the scourge of drug and substance abuse affecting communities nationwide.
“We are facing a serious challenge of drug and substance abuse. My heart is deeply troubled by how these drugs are destroying our young people, our sons and daughters. This is now a war we must all fight as parents, teachers, churches, everyone,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa also saluted traditional leaders for playing a critical role in restoring moral values.
“To our traditional leaders, I sincerely thank you for the important work you continue to do in guiding your communities with wisdom and integrity,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa urged parents to always value and care for their children, never abandoning them.
“We must guide, protect, and help them make wise choices. We are gathered here to support our children, to remind them that they are loved, valued, and capable. To all the boys and girls present, do not forget what you have learned today,” she said.
The First Lady encouraged women to always stand as a strong pillar for the family.
“Mothers, remember that your conduct shapes the behaviour of your children. Live a life that sets a good example. Do not engage in immoral behaviour. Women were created to stand firm as pillars of strength and support in our homes. Let us be strong and build together.
“When a husband falls ill, or when a child needs care, it is often the mother who runs to their side. Husbands, please respect your wives, giving them their rightful place in the home. Never raise your hand to strike her. Violence has no place in our culture.”
Dr Mnangagwa also shared her boot camp training program with boys and girls separately.
“When I gather young men and women for training, even for just a week, I teach them valuable skills, household management, discipline, and respect.
“They return home well-equipped to serve and contribute. These young people are talented and full of potential. Please support them when they come back to you,” she said.
In her benevolence, to support the learners, Mother Zimbabwe donated stationery to aid their academic progress and also distributed food hampers to all attendees.
In a show of respect, the First Lady humbly knelt while handing over a wheelchair to elderly Sekuru Magedho, aged 107, while also gifting his wife (96) blankets and an assortment of food groceries.
Dr Mnangagwa also led a highly interactive session filled with laughter, engaging learners and asking for their views on the appropriate age for marriage and what they think are good qualities of a partner.
One boy said, “I want to get married around 28 or 29 years, after I have established myself in life,” while another added, “I want to marry an educated woman because it’s difficult to plan with someone who isn’t educated.”
A girl said, “I want a hardworking husband who can provide for the family, and I will humble myself before him, as the Bible teaches that women should submit to their husbands.”
The event featured an engaging interactive session focused on relationships between in-laws.
A father-in-law said he wants a daughter-in-law who understands their culture, not someone who argues when you say, “wundura huku anokuti ine matoto mudumbu.”
He added that the daughter-in-law should also dress modestly. These days, young women wear turtlenecks and tight clothing. The vent on a dress should not be longer than the length of a finger.
He also said that a son-in-law’s trousers should fit properly, not the kind that need the support of a wall. “Handidi mukwasha wekuti akapfeka trousers anobata nemadziro,” he said.
A daughter-in-law confessed that she had once been wayward. She admitted that she used to have bad habits and lacked discipline, but her mother-in-law taught her good manners.
“Ndaiti ndichiuya pane vanhu like this, ndaipfeka short, but ndakadzidziswa hunhu. Ikozvino, ndisati ndabuda mumba, ndinotarisa kuti ndakapfekei,” she said.
A young son-in-law said that if he has not yet finished paying lobola, his father-in-law should avoid chasing him in beer halls. “Kana ndikambobvisawo pfuma ndikanonoka kupedza yose, handidi kuzoteverwa kubhawa ndichinzi nditengere doro,” he explained.
Masvingo Minister of State Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira thanked the First Lady for promoting culture, values, and discipline in Masvingo, empowering youth, and supporting traditional leaders in restoring moral values.
Minister Chadzamira highlighted successes from the First Lady’s programmes, including reduced early marriages, improved national pass rates, and efforts to keep young people away from drugs.
Zanu PF chief whip, also Gutu South Legislator Cde Pupurai Togarepi, praised the program for teaching children cultural values and correcting past misbehaviours.
He said the impact was already visible in the Gota, where boys were starting to address issues on their own.
The event left a lasting impression on the people of Masvingo, who expressed gratitude for the First Lady’s commitment to nurturing a disciplined and culturally rooted generation.
