Tendai Rupapa

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has urged individuals and corporates to support disadvantaged people in society, especially children, saying their contributions will be treasured.

The First Lady, who is the patron of Angel of Hope Foundation, made the remarks during the handover ceremony of a vehicle donated to the organisation by Bhola Hardware.

The company made the pledge on February 17 this year, when the foundation was launched.
Angel of Hope Foundation was established to uplift the lives of disadvantaged children and vulnerable members of society.
In her remarks, the First Lady said it was everyone’s responsibility to care for vulnerable groups, adding that with the support of stakeholders, the foundation would be able to achieve its goals.

“This donation will go a long way in assisting the vulnerable people in our community and country as a whole,” she said. “Angel of Hope cannot achieve much in isolation, but can do more through partnerships with other stakeholders.

“This vehicle is not going to be a personal vehicle, but it is going to serve our country. You will see it in all the 10 provinces being used to reach out to all those who are underprivileged.

“Angel of Hope Foundation will achieve its objectives through such support and helping hands like what you (Bhola Hardware) have done today. It is our duty, all of us, to care for the disadvantaged in our communities since together we can do more.”
Bhola Hardware director Mr Anis Patel thanked the First Lady for bringing hope to the disadvantaged. He also pledged his company’s continued support towards the foundation.

“In the world, there are many charitable organisations, but we have to cherish the one closest to our home in which our First Lady is the patron,” he said.

“We have to appreciate the personality of Amai (Mnangagwa), of bringing hope to the nation through her kind heart. At Bhola Group, we are very much blessed to be part of this charity organisation and we pledge our continued support.

“As a team, we can achieve the goals of the organisation.”
Speaking at the same function, the foundation’s board chairperson Mrs Molly Dingani said the foundation intends to build a skills centre where women and youths would embark on sustainable projects.

“We want to make sure that disadvantaged women are skilled, hence, we are looking at building a skills training centre where women and youth are trained so that they are also empowered and embark on sustainable projects,” she said.

“We have partners that have come aboard who will help us with building materials. We also have partners in the area of health.
“We are going to see some people coming through to assist with equipment in hospitals.”

Mrs Dingani said the foundation had so far donated an assortment of goods that include blankets, linen, clothing and stationery to disadvantaged children and other vulnerable members of society.

Among the donated goods were seedlings and seeds for nutritional gardens, fruit trees and road-runner chicks to enable the children and old people’s homes to start poultry rearing projects. – Herald