First Lady’s programme hits highest point

Tendai Rupapa in RUSAPE

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s intervention to curb juvenile delinquency and mould morally upright citizens through her Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme has hit the highest point with various communities extending invitations to her for the benefit of children in their areas.

Though she took the programme to all the country’s 10 provinces, many communities are crying out for more teachings and as a result it’s now cascading to districts and wards.

Yesterday the First Lady was in Rusape following an invitation by the wife to Chief Makoni, Mrs Redempter Gwasira, who praised her for accepting the invitation and expressed confidence that the programme would help mould the youths into responsible citizens.

This comes as traditional leaders in the area also showered praises on her for the programme which they said helped restore morals in youths who had gone wayward abusing alcohol and drugs and engaging in reprehensible behaviour.

Mr Simbai Cogan Gwasira, who is Chief Makoni, described the programme as a well-thought-out intervention whose results were there for everyone to see. 

“I am truly thankful for the visit by our First Lady. Our children had lost morals and shunning our traditional way of life. Since she came with her teachings, we have faith there would be a great change. While the First Lady and other elderly women were in the nhanga with the girls, we were also conducting sessions with the boys in the gota and the children admitted they were indeed lost,” he said.

Chief Makoni added; “The First Lady through this educative programme is advocating for a return to the traditional way of life which had in built mechanisms to foster morality. As elders we need to play our traditional roles of imparting wisdom in youths, while also teaching them the dos and don’ts of life thus we are grateful to the First Lady for this programme,” he said.

In the nhanga, the First Lady was assisted by Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Nokuthula Matsikenyere, Chief’s wives, female headman and the elderly women from the community.

They all had a common goal of spearheading efforts to fight teenage pregnancies, immorality, drug abuse and disrespect, among other vices which are now generally associated with today’s youths.

Amai Mnangagwa said she was happy to work with communities in addressing issues affecting them.

“I received an invitation from Amai Mambo Makoni requesting that I come to assist you in counselling our young girls as men do the same with boys. The mischief in these children especially girls is embarrassing us as mothers. They no longer treasure their bodies and are bearing children of various totems whom they leave for their mothers and grandmothers to take care of. Many dropped out of school because of pregnancies and this affects their education. They are also taking drugs and alcohol that affect their lives. We are being shamed by these children who now know much more than us as parents,” she said.

Gogo Elizabeth Mukadiro sought to know whether mothers of today were playing their role of monitoring their girl child and imparting them with wisdom.

“Are you checking the time your daughter returns home after you send her on an errand and what are you doing about it. Are you counselling her if she comes back home late? Some of the mischief is caused by this attitude of mothers who are not counselling the child but instead sugar-coating her wayward behaviour,” she said.

Headman Nyambiya-Mrs Mary Sharaunga, weighed in saying mothers must cultivate good relationships with their daughters so that they feel free to discuss any issues with them.

Turning to the girls she said; “You girls, I am urging you to value your bodies. Behave and focus on your education. When some of these boys impregnate you, they deny responsibility and run away. The boy will continue with his education, while your life is affected. Do not make yourself cheap,” she said.

The girls were advised by Gogo Martha Chanaiwa to respect their parents and elders in their communities.

“Children of today no longer listen to their parents and they answer back as though they will be talking to a friend. You must know that soft responses loosens tension and if you answer back when your mother is angry, it does not work. 

“You are no longer afraid of sleeping with boys yet in the olden days it was taboo to let a boy fondle your breasts,” she said.

The First Lady taught the children menstrual hygiene and said her teachings were not meant to encourage them to elope at a tender age.

“We have not come to teach you so that you rush into marriage, but we have come to prepare a future for you. We want you to treasure your education before rushing into sexual relationships because sex brings about many challenges. Can you tell me challenges caused by sexual activities,” she said.

One of the girls, Patience Chigodora, said sex exposed people to sexually transmitted infections among many other diseases and if one fell pregnant they had to stop going to school.

“No to peer pressure. Do not listen to destructive friends even at school, look for friends that value education,” the First Lady said.

The programme briefly stopped to wait for an orphaned child aged 15who was giving her testimony to compose herself. 

The girl burst into tears narrating how her peers at school teased her because she had no boyfriend to buy her niceties.

She told the First Lady and the elderly that most of her friends were pressurising her to fall in love with some of the men who were after her so that she would be given money to buy nice things and match their standards.

She said due to the teachings she learnt in the nhanga, she would not yield to peer pressure.

“I now need help on how to convince my friends to leave sugar daddies and focus on their education because they are saying by not having one, I am foolish and backward. However, knowing my background, i will follow the teachings I learnt here,” she said.

The First Lady told her candidly; “Do not agree to be swayed. Keep on turning down the advances and focus on your education. The moment you start dating at your age, that is the end. Do not listen to those who want to invite problems for you. From today break that friendship with them and choose new friends who have the same mindset as yours.”

The wife to Chief Makumbe, Mrs Tsitsi Chengeta, said some parents were to blame for the mischief in children because they had no time with their children.

She thanked the First Lady for her Nharirire yeMusha programme aimed at empowering parents and guardians with skills to effectively watch over their families, promoting good morals and dignity.

Another girl Rufaro Tsoka said at school those without boyfriends were ridiculed.

“Sometimes this peer pressure pushes us to do certain things and to prove your friends that you are not backward, you end up dating before the time is right,” she said.

Kelly Mushamainza ascribed the current challenges to dressing by girls of her age.

“The way we are dressing nowadays is bad. We are leaving much of the body bare hiding on the belief that we are in the modern days. I feel this is wrong and we should dress properly. I feel parents should buy proper dignified clothes for their children,” she said.

There were practical lessons for both boys and girls.

Activities for boys included gardening, goat rearing, poultry and setting traps.

Girls were taught to dress chickens, pounding millet and groundnuts, grinding peanut butter and cooking traditional foods among other household chores.

After the Nhanga and Gota sessions, the First Lady addressed the community before taking time to educate them on Covid-19 and vaccination.

“I covered all the country’s 10 provinces with this programme which was well-received and people are inviting me to their communities to help counsel our young boys and girls. As a country, what does the future hold in store for us if we leave our children getting lost? Their drinking and drug abuse is worrying us and its time we put our heads together,”she said.

As the health ambassador, the First Lady taught people about the need to embrace vaccination.

“As health ambassador I am happy that Manicaland is following what is being encouraged by health experts and following Covid-19 protocols. I want to warn you not to be fooled by people who are peddling falsehoods against vaccination,” she said.

Minister Matsikenyere said the First Lady was doing a great job in reviving the traditional way of life in the country.

Chiefs and the elderly who taught the kids where given food hampers and toiletries courtesy of the First Lady.

The children also received food hampers, toiletries, school stationery, school bags and certificates as ambassadors.

All Covid-19 prevention measures were observed at the interactive session.