daniel chigunwe
Tendai Rupapa
Senior Reporter
FIRST Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, through her Angel of Hope Foundation and its partners, yesterday donated hundreds of 2-in-1 blankets and baby blankets to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) to beat the cold weather, leaving the inmates feeling her motherly love as some of them are never visited by family members to strengthen them.
She also donated liquid soap, food and an assortment of materials for Chikurubi Day Care Centre, as she fulfils her mission to leave no place and no one behind.
The mother of the nation, who has a passion for the welfare of all citizens, regularly assists the correctional facilities and rolls out skills training programmes for inmates in a bid to afford them equal opportunities.
Known for her hands-on approach, Amai Mnangagwa assesses the needs of her targeted groups and provides solutions to the challenges.
Through her Angel of Hope Foundation’s partners, the First Lady mobilised the donated items and delivered them to the beneficiaries yesterday.
The ZPCS and inmates described the donation of blankets by the First Lady as timely because of the biting winter season.
Some inmates were last visited by their relatives long back, but because of her love, the First Lady has never stopped providing them with a mother’s love and warmth.
Through her regular visits, Dr Mnangagwa is giving the inmates a second chance and assisting in the rehabilitation process.
Yesterday’s donation comprised 24 tonnes of maize meal and rice, blankets, boxes of hockey sporting game, boxes of painting tools and boxes of tractor puzzle pieces.
There were also cases of fibre pens, cases of colour pencils, cases of coloured plasticine, plain books for colouring, bottles of liquid soap, Barbie dolls and teddy bears for children.
The goods would be distributed to prisons countrywide.
In his acceptance speech, ZPCS Commissioner-General Moses Chihobvu, who was represented by Deputy Commissioner-General Christine Manhivi, who is in charge of operations, praised the First Lady for her love.
“Today (yesterday) we are so delighted because our mother, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, has once again remembered her incarcerated children in this cold season,” she said.
“She gave us 2-in-1 blankets and baby blankets for children in prisons who come with their jailed mothers.
“This is not the first time for her to remember prisons. She regularly remembers them.
“If we talk of Chikurubi Female section without mentioning Amai’s name, we would not have said anything because she always visits them and initiating projects for them. In addition, she always brings baby clothing for their children. We are thankful to our mother.”
Comm-Gen Chihobvu said the First Lady does not wait to be begged, but always steps in voluntarily.
“What she does across the country is what she does here. The food items she donated will help us in terms of boosting our supply of food which is a basic need for inmates. Amai’s support is valuable to us,” he said.
Comm-Gen Chihobvu chronicled the active role played by the First Lady in the construction of a female open prison in Marondera, which is the only such facility in Southern Africa.
Inmates also praised Dr Mnangagwa saying her love was beyond measure.
One of the inmates, Humphrey Midzi said: “I was jailed for bribery, but today I am thankful for Amai’s love. She brings a lot for us including food all the time. She has remembered us with blankets in this cold weather.
“We were cold, but now we have been made warm by our mother. I pray that Angel of Hope Foundation continues with the good work because it is changing lives.”
Godknows Eliaz, who is serving 11 years for rape, thanked the First Lady for delivering maize meal, relish and crucially, blankets in the cold weather.
“I hope people out there will remember us like what the First Lady is doing. As the mother of the nation, she is indeed leading by example and walking the talk. She is always teaching people to love one another and this is exactly what she is doing to us.
“It is all about love. Amai is not looking at the crimes we committed, she is giving us a second chance and teaching us to always do good and know that crime does not pay.
“Through her Angel of Hope Foundation, we are being equipped with skills so that when we go out there, we will have somewhere to start from. We promise to never repeat our mistakes in life. We are learning a lot from the First Lady,” he said.
Equally elated was Pio Chasekwa, who was also jailed for bribery.
“I am thankful for the gesture done by our mother who has brought us blankets in this cold weather. She does a lot for us including giving us food. I want to thank her.
“As a mother of the nation she is doing good things for us and everyone in this country. We are living well as we serve time and I thank her for remembering us,” he said with a smile.
The First Lady’s move to regularly support prisons with resources and empowerment projects, shows her unconditional love and quest to foster a bright future for every citizen, despite the challenges they will be facing.
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