Senior Reporter

Idleness in youths is now a thing of the past in Chitungwiza, thanks to First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa who rolled out a sewing project for them through her Angel of Hope Foundation.

In a total empowerment package, Dr Mnangagwa provided the youths with sewing machines, materials and training that has led to a significant decline in mischief by youths.

So far, beneficiaries have sewn hundreds of dresses, skirts, shirts, shorts, blouses and undergarments which will be distributed to the less privileged.

Girls, who went through the mother of the nation’s Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme to impart them with good morals, started by sewing reusable sanitary pads after being trained by Angel of Hope Foundation which were later distributed to schools in Chitungwiza for the benefit of disadvantaged girls.

During her Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba programme in Chitungwiza, Dr Mnangagwa saw it fit to provide the community with a sewing project and training to sew pads after hearing that most girls could not afford disposable pads.

Now they have diversified to making shirts, skirts, dresses, shorts and under garments without, however, abandoning the reusable pads sewing project.

Angel of Hope Foundation provided them with all the necessary materials for the new venture.

Even without the machines, the girls can now hand sew.

One of the elderly women assisting the girls at the centre where the project is taking place, Mrs Molly Chironga, paid tribute to the First Lady for her efforts to ensure youths learn to use their hands.

“I am very happy with the way this sewing project is going on. Last year Amai came here with her Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba programme and the children who went through it have changed a lot. After the programme, she introduced this sewing project for the youths to curb idle time and gave us sewing machines and material.

“They started with reusable pads which we distributed in five schools in our community and those who received the pads were happy because they would sometimes miss school during their monthly cycles because they did not have anything to use,” she said.

Mrs Chironga expressed gratitude to the youths from the community who are grasping the concepts taught and are eager to learn more.

“From the time we got material and machines from the First Lady we never stopped. We have started sewing shirts, skirts, dresses, blouses and undergarments. A team from Angel of Hope Foundation came and taught us how to sew and we are now going forward with the teachings. 

“We are continuing with the sewing programme and teaching other youths. Some of the children involved go to school and come for a while before returning to their studies. Others are school dropouts and teen mothers,” she said.

Cases of children spending time on the streets and bridges, Mrs Chironga said, were declining because of the First Lady’s life-changing programmes and opportunity to learn.

“We are looking forward to engaging more children from the community so that they learn through the knowledge we acquired from Angel of Hope Foundation.”

“We are in Covid-19 times and the children do not come out in their numbers, but they rotate in small groups. Those who would have learnt, are going out there to teach their peers. The children are grateful for the teachings as they can now patch their torn clothes and sew their own clothes,” she said.

So upbeat were beneficiaries of the programme that they promised not to tire but continue with the project for their benefit and that of the community.

Vimbai Busvumani (17) of Zengeza 2, said as a girl child she had been greatly assisted by the sewing programme. 

“As a girl child I benefited a lot from the First Lady’s sewing project. We started with reusable pads not knowing how it was done, but we received thorough training and we can now sew clothes even at home. I can now mend my family’s clothes if they are torn. We no longer attend school in torn school uniforms as we can mend them without bothering our mothers. 

“This project has opened my mind that I can now make my own clothes during my spare time because I now have the knowledge,” she said.

Equally upbeat was 15-year-old Similar Chimedza from Zengeza 1 who said she could now use both machines and her hands to sew.

“I am truly thankful to Amai for this programme she introduced to us. We can now sew using both machines and our hands. We are thankful and proud of our mother the First Lady.

“She showed us love and taught us to unite as the family of Zimbabwe because we are from different areas in Chitungwiza meeting here for a common purpose thus unifying us. We can now sew clothes for our brothers and sisters who are less privileged. 

“We never knew how we could assist them, but Amai gave us a way of assisting them. We no longer spend the day roaming aimlessly but we now assist others who are not capable of sewing,” she said.

Tinotenda Chisuko (17) expressed gratitude to the mother of the nation for starting a worthwhile programme that is benefiting her community and the nation at large.

“We started with the Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba programme where we were taught morals and how to do household chores including preparing traditional dishes. The First Lady through her foundation taught us to make reusable pads which we gave to the vulnerable. 

“When I grow up I will have a sewing factory because I now have all the knowledge. In the past, some women and young girls would spend the day gossiping and fighting in the streets but now we are teaching them to live in peace, love and harmony and also to use their hands something we learnt from the Nhanga. 

“We now use our hands which give us life and not just sit as some are now into drugs and prostitution which affect their lives,” she said. 

Tadiwa Hoto (18) said; “I want to thank Amai for the teachings she gave us. Youths in Chitungwiza are happy and coming here in groups learning to sew pads, skirts and dresses. Were it not for the First Lady, we would not have managed to achieve this.”

Among the youths from the community was Lydia Moyo (25) who expressed zeal to learn as she aspired to become a tailor.

“I want to learn just like everyone else here in our community so that when I grow up I can open my own business and employ a lot of people. 

“Those who participated in the Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba programme and the sewing training are teaching us what they learnt and this has really helped us in a big way. We are grateful to the First Lady for affording us a lifetime opportunity,” she said.

Another elderly woman from the community working with the girls Mrs Eunice Chipamuriwo, paid tribute to the First Lady for her vision.

“I am grateful for the assistance our children were given by the First Lady Amai Mnangagwa and encouraging them to use their own hands. We have many children who are coming here to learn and ask us how we go about it. 

“They are fast learners and we cover lots of ground in little time. They all dream of becoming professional tailors,” she said.

The First Lady has been working closely with the community and this has helped improve behaviour and foster skills transfer and more can be achieved if the community embraces the teachings and remain focused.