Angel of Hope patron meets female war vets
Tendai Rupapa
IT was a motherly affair filled with nostalgia and hope when First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa held a historic meeting with thousands of female war veterans as well as spouses and widows of liberation war fighters, who became the latest beneficiaries of her life-transforming empowerment initiatives.
Since the attainment of Independence in 1980, no sitting First Lady had ever convened a meeting with female war veterans as well as spouses and widows of former liberation war fighters.
So oversubscribed was the event that some guests had to follow proceedings from an overflow area.
Dr Mnangagwa has a passion for the empowerment of women and girls and yesterday beat the ground running by introducing the group to life skills projects to ensure they earn a decent living.
The gathering was drawn from Harare Province and the programme will cascade to other provinces.
In her remarks, the mother of the nation said she appreciated the role played by the women.
“I feel greatly humbled and I am happy to be among you. Whenever women meet, there is happiness. I am seeing life, where we came from, where we are and where we are going through your faces. I must start by saying that today is the day which God set aside for us to meet. We may have met yesterday or last year but God said the time was not yet ripe.
“The time became ripe today. This is why I say whoever goes back home without anything tangible on this day which has been set aside by God for us to meet, please ask yourself as to the kind of woman you are. As a woman who is just like you, I wish to acknowledge you because the journey you walked and the one we shall walk together has a beginning.
“Let me say you were not widowed, we are together. God had already planned as to when he would take away your spouse.
“Some went without saying goodbye while others never returned from the war. My husband, the President, Cde E.D Mnangagwa worked with your spouses and some women here present in the liberation struggle,” she said.
The mother of the nation shared a bit about her visit to Chimoio where thousands of liberation war fighters were massacred by the Rhodesian forces.
“I visited Chimoio with some women drawn from all provinces to see where some of our comrades were left. When you reach the place, you feel welcomed and you feel at home.
“They left us in flesh but in spirit, we are with them. We have them in our lives. We learnt a lot when we went there. I said there was a segment of women I was still to meet, which are you.
“Today I have come to see you and know you and to look for friends so that when the going gets tough I call out to you and we build relations because we are a family. I have come so that we mould one another as women.
“Every woman is a leader, maybe the idea I have might differ from yours, but what is critical is to put our heads together and come up with something tangible.
“We shall have such meetings regularly, sharing ideas and saying now that our children have been ruined by drugs, what shall we do?
“Wherever you are as a woman, do you know your rightful place in the family and society? When you and your spouses went out to war, you fought to free the nation which we should now work for.
“We went through a bumpy course and we are pained by those who perished in the war fighting for this great nation,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa said women needed to work hard to earn an honest living.
“As a woman are you involved in projects. Let us think about our children and grandchildren therefore, take your rightful positions as women and teach others and your children noble things, build each other. Today I have come to empower you and you take the projects further in groups and instead of being idle, you learn constructive things. Our country has a history, tine nhoroondo senyika imi ndimi nhoroondo yacho uye vana chipanga mazano.
We look up to you. I have brought a team from Angel of Hope Foundation and our partners to teach you various life skills and empowerment projects. Listen carefully and jot down notes as the instructors take you through. When you start your own projects through this training, you then invite me to see what you will be doing. My wish is to see you venture into business and become successful. I have also brought some few items to share with you,” she said to applause.
Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Minister Monica Mavunga was over the moon and described yesterday’s meeting as a special occasion which was the first in the history of the country.
“We have the esteemed presence of our First Lady Her Excellency Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, amongst us. Amai, your willingness to take time from your demanding schedule to meet with the spouses and widows of our veterans speaks volumes about your dedication.
“As a fellow spouse of a war veteran, the biggest war veteran in this country and indeed the spouse of our President His Excellency Dr E.D Mnangagwa, you share a unique bond with the women gathered here today. You understand first-hand the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families and the importance of supporting those who have served our nation. Just recently, Amai you were in Mashonaland West where you launched a programme for war veterans and the youths in sustainable agriculture and environment,” she said.
Minister Mavunga said one of her ministry’s mandates was to oversee the welfare and economic empowerment of the heroes’ dependents in line with the Heroes and Dependents Act.
“This responsibility extends to providing assistance and support to the widows and widowers of our fallen heroes who often face numerous challenges following the loss of their spouses.
“We are acutely aware of the struggles that widows and widowers encounter in navigating around issues to do with inheritance and fending for the family as a single parent.
“However, today is not just about acknowledging the obstacles, it is also about recognizing the potential for empowerment and growth.
“We are confident that through the initiatives you champion, these remarkable women and men will benefit from the various programmes leading to their empowerment and build bright futures for themselves and their families.
“We are here to get tangible lessons from our mother. It is my heartfelt gratitude to our First Lady for her unwavering commitment to the well-being of our veterans and their families. Your presence here today underscores the importance of standing in solidarity with those who have sacrificed so much for our nation,” she said.
Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Service (ZPCS) chaplain Christine Phiri said yesterday’s meeting had been made possible by the First Lady who had a passion for the welfare of women.
“Today we are gathered here because of the First Lady. She said she has a special class of widows who were left behind by veterans of the liberation struggle.
“Some are not widows, but their spouses sustained serious injuries in the war and some are female war veterans.
“You are also heroines in your own right because you proceeded to look after the family. I have also come here as a woman reinforcing our mother’s refrain for women to work hard,” she said before breaking into the song “Shanda, shanda, shandira korona”.
“Our mother is saying as women, let us work to sustain our families and cast away the dependency syndrome.
“If they say you are using muti (charms) to get rich, respond by saying: “I don’t know what you are talking about “. Amai is saying I do not want my widows to embarrass the liberation war fighters by giving their homes the semblance of a lodge.
“Let the homes of war veterans be respectable because your body is the temple of the Lord. She is our health ambassador and encourages us to have regular health checks.
“Our mother is going around fighting for the inheritance and rights of widows and orphans showing the love that she has.
“She believes in giving the fishing rod, not fish because she wants a woman to work and look after the family.
“Arise women, stand up and work,” she said singing the popular Christian hymn “Munoziva kusasimba kwangu, ndimi simba rangu ndave wenyu chose”.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province Cde Charles Tavengwa, a director in his office Mrs Kampira praised the First Lady for her intervention.
“It is with great honour and profound respect that I stand before you today and join Her Excellency the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa as she interacts with the widows and wives of our war veterans. Your Excellency, we extend our deepest gratitude for gracing this event. Your presence truly signifies the importance of this debut of our nation and it is truly an honour to witness the compassion and support that you are showing and always show to these courageous women.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here not just in the spirit of remembrance but to empower and uplift the lives of those who have given so much for the freedom that we cherish today. As we embark on this convention, let us all appreciate the path of progress and hope.”
The beneficiaries of the First Lady’s programme were upbeat and grateful to the mother of the nation.
Mrs Chioniso Sigauke said: “I am grateful to our mother for visiting us widows. I have been taught as a widow that I should be a dignified mother who tends to her family. If you are a philandering mom who frequents bars, you cannot manage the family. She has told us that as widows we must bath and not do so to seduce other people’s spouses, but to be smart and be presentable while going about our projects. We thank her for the projects she has brought along for us among other commodities. As a spouse of a war veteran, I was dejected and lonely, but we thank our mother for remembering us,” she said.
Mrs Eunica Mapurisa could not hide her joy.
“We are thankful for what our mother has done for us. This was the first time in the history of our country to be remembered by the mother of the nation in such a way.
“We had never seen such a thing even from war times and we are sure our country is going forward. She has given us basic commodities like blankets, maize meal, cooking oil, rice, sugar, salt and so much more. Today we shall be warm and full,” she said.
Mrs Sarah Kuzvinzwa, a widow, was happy to have met the First Lady.
“I am thankful that Dr Mnangagwa has shown us great love today. She equipped us with life skills.
“During this winter, our children won’t be affected by frostbite because i can now make petroleum jelly among other things. These projects will always keep us busy and do not have time to be idle. I am thankful for her life-changing teachings and the food she gave us,” she said.
Cde Emmah Mukuyu said the projects initiated for them by the First Lady will help them sustain themselves and their families,” she said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Gogo Emily Mandisodza (90).
“I thank Amai Mnangagwa for her compassion and love which she is teaching to all the women of Zimbabwe to assist widows and orphans. Amai gave us essential commodities and her love touched us. She is a mother who remembers all her children without leaving anyone behind.
“As old as I am, I have not seen such great love,” she said. – Herald