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Tendai Rupapa in BULAWAYO
THE traditional kitchen and stand showcasing the philanthropic work being done by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa to empower women, the girl child, youths, the elderly and those with disabilities among many other vulnerable groups, proved popular at the just-ended Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) where they were attracting hundreds of visitors, including foreigners.
President Mnangagwa and King Mswati III of Eswatini also visited Amai’s kitchen during their tour of exhibitions.
The kitchen was being run by vulnerable girls from orphanages and widows who were empowered by the mother of the nation through her Angel of Hope Foundation.
Proceeds will go towards their welfare.
At the First Lady’s stand, there was a big screen highlighting her works and efforts to mould better citizens for the country through her many initiatives.
The stand was on almost everyone’s lips giving countless positive comments.
Mr Cletus Munhande from her office was overwhelmed after a high turnout at the stand sharing with people the information they require.
The visitors to the stand were being afforded an opportunity to ask questions and leave comments.
Ms Anna Prineslik, a foreign exhibitor, was among the visitors to the stand.
“We are charmed because the First Lady of Zimbabwe Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa is so involved in the lives of ordinary people. From her works being showcased here and the information we heard, we now understand how she helps mainly women, girls and youths.
“She is so humble and she loves people. We are impressed by her humanitarian work and we are so proud to be here. We can work together with the Angel of Hope Foundation to create partnerships for the good of the people of Zimbabwe,” she said.
Her blindness to one’s religious or political affiliation and love for mankind, was being commended by everyone.
Amai Mnangagwa’s programmes and projects are non-partisan, she embraces everyone.
Businesspeople also thronged her stand.
Some said they were now complementing the First Lady’s works by employing girls from vulnerable communities as a form of empowering them.
One such businessperson is Mrs Doreen Khanye who runs food outlets in Bulawayo.
She said she wants to support First Lady’s works by employing vulnerable girls from orphanages around Bulawayo through Angel of Hope Foundation as a way of empowering them.
“Everyone deserves a chance in life. Taking a leaf from what Dr Mnangagwa is doing countrywide, we felt compelled to chip in and we also want to empower girls from humble backgrounds to ensure that our whole nation is empowered. Everyone deserves to have it better in life,” she said.
Through her Angel of Hope Foundation, Amai Mnangagwa took young women from the country’s orphanages and widows and offered them an opportunity to train in hospitality before being offered jobs in the hospitality sector.
Mr Benson Muneri, the chief executive of Hotplate Grillhouse Zimbabwe said he was pleased to assist the underprivileged through availing employment opportunities for them in partnership with Angel of Hope Foundation.
“We are here to assist Amai as Hot Plate Grillhouse to support her initiative through Angel of Hope Foundation. She has empowered many girls and women who are running this kitchen,” he said.
“We have the orphans as well as widows that came from all the country’s provinces around Zimbabwe.
“She empowered the girls and they are now skilled and are now fully trained to run the kitchens and do other jobs in the hospitality industry. We are proud as Hotplate Grillhouse to be associated with this initiative and we are here to land a hand to Amai for the generous work that she is doing around the country.”
Dr Mnangagwa is the country’s health ambassador, environment and tourism patron, wildlife ambassador, Agric4She patron, patron of women cotton growers, patron of women in potato farming with footage from those portfolios among information on her works that was being beamed on the giant screen at her stand.
Mrs Precious Chishawa, a student from Marymount Teachers’ College, said she was charmed by the mother of the nation’s initiatives.
“I like the work that Amai is doing. She is doing great to all women and the girl child. As youths, she is encouraging us to lead morally upright lives.
“She is doing exceptionally well because if you look at young children these days, a young girl is being lured by something as simple as a box of chicken and chips and get used for that by old men. Dr Mnangagwa is making youths realise their full potential, shun drugs and focus on education to uplift themselves,” she said.
A contractor, Mr Jabulani Chindori, said he looked forward to partnering Angel of Hope Foundation in building comfortable homes for the vulnerable groups like the elderly.
“I am impressed with the great work that she is doing seeing she is taking everyone into consideration despite where they are, where they are coming from and where they are going. Amai is continuously providing where we think it is impossible and she is doing good work.
“She is assisting even those with disabilities and the elderly. As a construction company we are impressed with her work and heeding to her call to also employ women in the construction industry. We want to partner her foundation and provide accommodation for the underprivileged,” he said.
Similar words were echoed by Mr Brian Mhaka of Mutare.
“I am gratified a lot by what our mother is doing countrywide. She is doing great work which is empowering the youth. If we look at young women, they are getting lost while their marriages are collapsing because they are eloping before they are ready for marriage.
“Some have nothing productive that they are doing in their homes to support their spouses in looking after the family. I see our mother encouraging them to venture into income generating projects and providing them with start-up kits.
“As we saw here some women and youths do not know how to plough and need to be taught how to go about it. Amai Mnangagwa is doing exactly that teaching them. I am happy that she is giving people essential skills. Some men did not appreciate that women can be productive and our mother is showing us just that,” he said.
Ms Fananai Madambi, the Permanent Secretary in the Minister of State for Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes sang praises for the First Lady, commending her fight against drug abuse and efforts to restore cultural norms and values.
“We are very happy with the work being done by Amai. She is showing that she is a mother to everyone, she does not select people according to political affiliation.
“She is embracing previously disadvantaged groups. If we look at women we are seeing programmes like agric4she, cooking programmes, empowerment projects so that they are able to stand on their own. She is supporting those into detergent-making, chicken rearing and many other projects.
“Again on youths she is making children reclaim their space. We are seeing that our children were being lost due to drugs but she is fighting this. This helps a lot and she is bringing in our culture through her Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba which are putting back our culture.
“As parents we no longer had time to train the children. She does a lot and if people embrace these teachings, they will benefit,” she said.
Mrs Madambi also spoke about the First Lady’s care for the elderly.
“Our elderly need love, they need attention. Just being paid a visit is quite an important thing because the elderly rarely get many people visiting them.
“The visit of the First Lady to them and the help she renders to them is a good demonstration for us to continue doing as such and this is something the majority of the people should emulate,” she said.
Mrs Bester Mutanhaurwa said she was a beneficiary of the First Lady’s empowerment programmes.
“I registered to make baobab (mauyu) products after seeing Amai’s good work and encouragement for women to work hard and work for their families,” she said.
“The youth must work and stay away from drugs and everyone has to work to sustain themselves in the country. A country is built by its citizens so if we the citizens sit on our hands, the nation will not develop.”
“The First Lady is empowering us a lot and now we are supplying drinks to big shops which we never did in the past. We are making a lot of products that we are making due to the encouragement we are getting from Amai who wants us to do good all the time.
“Our mother is encouraging us to work for our families and the country. We thank you for the work you are teaching us and we no longer wait for handouts from our husbands, but we are now even giving them some money.”
People who visited Amai’s kitchen enjoyed the dishes that were on offer and commended the First Lady for promoting traditional dishes.
Dishes prepared included high firidzi (a mixture of vegetables and beef), mazondo, madora, trotters, road runner, beef stew, chicken, goat meat, zvinyenze, dried vegetables, fresh vegetables, fermented milk (hodzeko), fish, white sadza, sorghum sadza, millet sadza, rice in peanut butter and maheu.
Countless wild fruits were also there, reinforcing Dr Mnangagwa’s call for the consumption of traditional dishes which boast of high nutritional value and medicinal properties.
Mr Tendai Kufakunesu (Simboti) said, “The food is so nice and we are so happy being here. This food identifies us as Zimbabweans and as Africans.
“We wish to thank the First Lady for empowering the girl child. She is also teaching women that in the kitchen traditional dishes must be prepared. Inini Simboti ndikabikirwa zvakadai kumba ndinoyendepi?” he said with a chuckle.
Also pleased was a lady who identified herself as Vimbai from Harare.
“We have come this afternoon to support our mother for the work that she is doing in the country assisting the less privileged, and those yearning to be uplifted. We enjoyed maheu and other sumptuous dishes,” she said.
Similar words were echoed by Mrs Amkella Sidanke from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
“Today we have joined in the traditional foods luncheon by the First Lady of Zimbabwe Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa which is in support of the girl child and women empowerment and as an agency we feel privileged to be part of this.
“When you empower the girl child, you empower a woman and you are assured that even the environment is going to be protected because they remain responsible for the production of this food,” she said.
Mr Xilong Su said he enjoyed highfiridzi and maheu.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter