dyton mupawaenda
Tendai Rupapa–Senior Reporter
ANGEL of Hope Foundation patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has remained committed to the total transformation and empowerment of children she took off the streets.
She placed some of them under the care of her Mbare Life Skills Development Centre and in collaboration with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, she initiated opening of special classes for them.
This unparalleled display of love and compassion has left the local community in awe.
Apart from academic studies, the centre is giving the children vocational skills for them to stay away from drugs and other social vices while leading healthy lives.
The primary school classes at the centre are from ECD-A to Grade Seven and their parent school is Nharira Primary School in Mbare.
Form One to Four classes report to George Stark Secondary School in the same suburb. So eager are the children to learn that some 13-year-olds are even keen to start Grade One classes. Those who did not want formal education are now into projects initiated by the First Lady that include poultry, gardening, carpentry, sewing and recycling of materials among many others.
As the health ambassador, Amai Mnangagwa makes sure that health personnel are on the ground regularly for health checks and to offer immediate attention to the sick so they can grow up healthy, unlike on the streets where some illnesses would heal on their own while some led to death.
A teacher supervises children who used to stay and work on the streets during lessons in the special classes that were established for them by Angel of Hope Foundation patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa at the Mbare Life Skills Centre.
The projects are also thriving as beneficiaries are already selling their chickens and garden produce.
There are sporting facilities at the center where they do sports to keep them fit, healthy and be able to compete with other schools and community members which helps in rehabilitating them.
The children start their lessons in the morning and are provided meals, clothes, toiletries, courtesy of the mother of the nation.
This is not the first time the First Lady has launched a project directly for children living on the streets and drug addicts. A few years ago, she rounded up some street children around the country and committed them to Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home in Chiredzi, where they are pursuing academic studies and being equipped with vocational training skills. They have since quit drugs and are living comfortably at the home with their foster mothers while going to school. Some are in boarding schools.
They are also involved in breathtaking projects that speak volumes about the mother of the nation’s success in transforming lives.
Tracy Tom, one of the children who used to stay and work on the streets, packs chickens for sale she and her peers are rearing at the Mbare Life Skills Development Centre established for them by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.
Unlike in the past when the children spent time taking drugs and being involved in crimes, including prostitution, the children are now productive and involved in projects like piggery, poultry, goat rearing, cattle rearing, horticulture, carpentry and wielding.
Mr Rameck Mbelechi, the head who is overseeing the teachers and the students, paid glowing tribute to the First Lady and said the learners had great zeal to learn.
“As the head, i oversee the learning of children at the Life Skills Development Center through special education. The move was initiated by our mother the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa. We thank her greatly for that. Among the learners, we are noticing that some did not have the opportunity to go to school just like other children. Some of them are very talented and are improving in their studies looking from when we started. These children came from different places where they abused drugs, but a lot of them have now changed and are now bathing and interacting well with others. We were with them since the beginning of the term and they have greatly changed,” he said confidently.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Mrs Letwin Mandisvika, a teacher at the centre.
“We thank the First Lady for her for her vision and love because these children had no one to send them to school yet they have vision. Some of them are old but they have zeal to learn. We have three teachers in primary and five in secondary classes. The children have improved significantly showing that we are destined for somewhere,” she said.
Mrs Anastasia Marodza, a secondary mathematics teacher at the centre, said she was overly impressed by the children’s eagerness to learn.
Some of the farm produce such as butternuts and tomatoes being produced at Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home in Chiredzi by children who used to work and stay on the streets.
“I teach high school children at the Life Skills Development Centre. I am gratified that these children are coming from the street. I thank our mother for her love of taking them and placing them in class. I teach mathematics and I initially thought it was going to be difficult but they have zeal to learn and I am thankful for Amai’s vision. She is making us help these children realise their full potential,” she said.
The learners too said they relished the opportunity to learn.
Hope Gobvu (17) said he looked forward to reaching Advanced Level studies.
Some of the farm produce such as butternuts and tomatoes being produced at Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home in Chiredzi by children who used to work and stay on the streets.
“I am thankful to Amai who plucked us off the streets and we are going to school here and I have zeal to complete my education and reach Advanced Level. We are given food and clothes as well as being taught life skills besides academic education. We left the life we were living in the streets and we are doing good things. We wish to thank Amai for the love she continues to show us. We now have good manners. We are also learning to use our hands and we thank her for her deep love. My favorite subjects are Shona and Mathematics,” he said.
Givemore Mutambirwa (16), who is in Form 1, could not conceal his excitement.
Various crops being produced at Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home in Chiredzi by children who used to work and stay on the streets. — Pictures: John Manzongo.
“I wish to thank the First Lady who helps us. I initially did not attend school but she took us here and gave us education. We are also getting all other basic needs here. Our mother is giving us proper love that we had never experienced before and I wish her a blessed life,” he said.
Another pupil said: “I am 12 years old and in Grade 6. I am thankful to our mother who gives us food. If we fall sick, we are taken to the clinic and sometimes nurses come here for health checks. I used to live in the streets but now I have somewhere to sleep with clean clothes and good food,” he said.
Brandon Cele, who is into waste management project also had words of kindness for the First Lady.
Children who used to stay and work on the streets weed and water the vegetable garden established for them by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa at the Mbare life Skills centre
“I work with others here doing waste management. We trained on waste seperation and we are now experts. Usually waste is discarded between six and 8am daily so we go on all dumps selecting plastics.
“We are earning money for personal use through these plastics making us stay away from drugs. We are going to be successful businessmen in the near future because this recycling business will take us far,” he said.
Tracy Tom, who is rearing chickens alongside her peers through the benevolence of the First Lady, was over the moon.
Various crops being produced at Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home in Chiredzi by children who used to work and stay on the streets.
She said she had been empowered with useful knowledge in poultry.
“I thank the First Lady for the project she started for us of rearing chickens and we no longer venture into the streets or taking drugs.
“We are happy that Amai assisted us with projects and she sent us people to train us and gave us certificates after completing courses. We are now selling our chickens as people from the community come to buy from us. I am truly thankful for what our mother has done and we can share the knowledge we acquired with others who did not attend this training,” she said with happiness.
One of the children who used to stay on the streets sorts waste being collected by him and his peers for recycling, which has become one of their source of revenue.
Amai Mnangagwa identified the place which she has refurbished through working with the city council and relevant departments.
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