Tendai Rupapa 

It was a marvel watching Mr Simon Udemba, his wife Marian and their children carrying boxes of clothing to benefit the needy at a time when temperatures have dipped significantly.

The donation will boost the already running programmes being undertaken by Amai Mnangagwa through her foundation to cushion vulnerable families.

The First Lady has left no stone unturned in ensuring that disadvantaged groups are assisted.

Cognisant of the winter season, the mother of the nation is distributing blankets and winter coats to cushion vulnerable groups against cold weather which spawns diseases like flu and cough.

Amai Mnangagwa who personally distributes donated items, invited the family to accompany her when she takes the winter clothes to the deserving beneficiaries.

Speaking after the donation at the First Lady’s offices, Mrs Udemba said her family was motivated to give after witnessing the First Lady doing so to communities countrywide.

“I live in Harare together with my family. We own a factory as a family where we make clothes for chain stores in Zimbabwe. We make lots of things, children’s clothes, men’s clothes and women’s clothes. We have come here to donate some stuff, including winter clothes for the less privileged to the First Lady.

“We have been seeing what the First Lady is doing in the nation, she is doing a good job. There are lots of less privileged people and some people do not care about them, so to see Amai doing what she does, helping the needy, we were just moved and as a family, we said why don’t we do our part and help her so that she can help these children more and more. This is why we have come because we appreciate what Amai is doing,” she said.

Mrs Udemba rallied other businesspeople to follow suit and assist the First Lady in her charity work.

“The First Lady is doing a good job and we will try by all means to help at all times. I also urge other people, other women to help our children who are suffering and have nothing to wear and eat. Amai is doing a great job, so let’s help her.

“We donated winter coats from a two-year-old child to 16 years because it is now winter and it is very cold. I think with this climate change, we will have one of the worst winters in our nation this year that is why we have come,” she said happily.

Mr Udemba spoke glowingly about the work which the First Lady is doing countrywide.

“Seeing the work the First Lady has been doing through her Angel of Hope Foundation all over the country, it has been our wish to assist where we can in the good job that she is doing to help the less privileged in the country.

“We felt it is a good cause we could also support and the people in the country should help her to help the less privileged.

“We need to be part of the good work that she is doing. I came with my children for them to know that it is good to give to the needy. That is why we decided to come with them for them to see that this is what we are doing, this is who we are and hoping that they will emulate the good deeds,” he said.

Mrs Udemba weighed in saying she was working with her children and inculcating in them the need to work hard using their hands thus following the First Lady’s teachings.

“I am a mother of seven children, sons and daughters so I teach them to work and to give. Children learn from what they see from their parents.

“If you are a stingy mother, your kids will be stingy, but if you are a generous mother, your children will also be generous. When we said we coming here to give to the First Lady, to them it was something they were used to, that is giving.

“It is good to teach our children the good things, as they will continue doing the same things after us. That is how we teach them. I encourage mothers in the homes there that if we are doing something, be it in the garden, let us do so with our children. The children whom we came along with completed their A’ Level studies so to leave them at home as we wake up to go to work, we wonder what they will stay behind doing.

“We then said everyone has to go to work and we shall do whatever work there is. At work they do not sit, they enter the factory and do the work and we assign supervisors to monitor them and that is how I train my children. Amai is teaching us to involve our children in practical jobs so that they stay away from mischief like taking drugs,” she said.

The couple’s daughter, Maureen, was over the moon and thanked Amai Mnangagwa for her love towards the less privileged.

“We followed our parents here to see the First Lady with the incentive to give towards the Angel of Hope Foundation.

“We are a typical family that tells a Zimbabwean story and what today’s family looks like in the nation of Zimbabwe that are working to put food on the table and put the name of the nation to the world representing hard work, resilience and perseverance in whatever we set to do.

“The main reason we are here today is to not only think about ourselves but of others in the nation who may not have something to put on.”

Our parents are not only encouraging us to be selfless, but this act will encourage families out there to not only look at themselves but to look at the less privileged who need help.

“The First Lady through her Angel of Hope Foundation, is doing amazing work to the less privileged and we know that she cannot do this by herself and that she needs hands to help her. Our parents are God-fearing and they believe in giving.

“Working with our parents is helping us to be focused. Working with our parents removes our minds from being idle.”

“We shun frivolous activities like drug and substance abuse that do not produce any good in our lives. Keeping ourselves busy removes our minds from useless things. Being empowered as a young person is very important because whatever small thing you do, will be a skill you will have mastered for life. We urge young people to stay away from drugs.

“We want to thank the First Lady for her love and kindness. We also want to thank her for her awareness campaigns against drugs which are destroying people, especially our age groups,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa praised the family for lending her a helping hand.

“I wish to thank you very much because if someone starts their business, it’s their own and do what they want, so this idea of assisting others is important. Some people do not have anything at all in this cold, the elderly who are sick, those with disabilities and orphans.

“This is the time for winter and you have decided to give something that would have given you money for a family but you decided to give this to the needy. Whatever word they are going to say is all praises to you and God. I wish God to be with you and in your business so that it grows and you give many others. The type of winter that we have this season is more than what we have experienced before,” she said.

The mother of the nation said she was particularly thrilled by the involvement of children in philanthropic work.

“As women, we sometimes find it difficult to part with something beautiful like this but as a family, I want to thank you very much for this donation.

“I have seen your children also and coming with them shows you are teaching them good manners. You are teaching them something that they should grow up knowing.

“Being with your children, showing them the way, teaching them love and wherever they are going to go in your absence they will not forget the spirit of giving and at the same time, we say Ubuntu begins at home. This gives us a picture of what type of family you are. You feel for others and on its own it’s a talent and it’s a gift.

“Giving is a gift, so you have done this for God, not an individual. Giving things like this means a lot and I want to thank you very much. We have never met but you were following what you see me doing. This has driven you to come and give wholeheartedly.

“I want to thank you for following what I do otherwise you were going to say this is her own business. Thank you and God bless you,” she said.

The family was accompanied by Special Advisor on Presidential Affairs and Monitoring, Implementation of Government Programmes Dr Joram Gumbo who explained what prompted the Udemba family to reach out to him with the idea of complementing Amai’s efforts in helping the needy.

Angel of Hope Foundation is not Government funded, does not have a pool of resources but relies on various working partners and well-wishers to satisfy the needs of citizens across social classes. –  Herald