Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Online Reporter
MATABELELAND North Provincial leadership has paid tribute to the First Lady Dr Auxilia Mnangagwa for her philanthropic work which has reignited hope among vulnerable members of the community.
The First Lady last year in March handed certificates to more than 700 people in Hwange who had undergone training in five short courses in a programme she facilitates in a partnership between her Angel of Hope Foundation and Zimbabwe Open University.
The programme has grown and on Thursday she handed certificates to 1 683 people who completed training in various short courses.
The First Lady was represented by Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo.
Through her Angel of Hope, she has been implementing a number of programmes in areas of education, health, food and nutrition, farming, social work and cultural heritage among others across the seven districts of the province.
She launched a fish project in Binga, rehabilitated Dege Old People’s Home, and held many cookout competitions and her cultural programme Ixhiba where she has tried to revive the social fibre in communities working with traditional leaders.
Speaking in Hwange on Thursday, the Director for coordination in the Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs Minister Moyo’s office Mr Tapera Mugoriya who was representing the Minister, said the First Lady had shown that she has the province at heart.
The Angel of Hope Foundation/ZOU partnership was started in Hwange and on Thursday was the second intake certification.
The First Lady has said the 3rd certification will be held in the rural areas in another district other than Hwange.
Matabeleland North has seven districts and is mainly rural with a high number of vulnerable people.
“The First Lady saw it fit to empower the community to an upper-middle-income society by 2028. We have been chosen as a province and we want to thank her for the various initiatives,” said Mr Mugoriya.
Of the 1 683 recipients, 81 percent were women and girls.
Mr Mugoriya said empowering women and girls capacitates the whole community.
“You have shown that Matabeleland North is at the centre of your heart. You have left footprints in each district of the province,” he said.
Online Reporter