Angel of Hope awards aviation scholarships

Tendai Rupapa

Academically gifted children from humble backgrounds who passed a rigorous selection process, are undergoing pilot training with Central Air Transport Services (CATS) courtesy of life-changing scholarships awarded by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa through her Angel of Hope Foundation (AoHF).

This makes it the first time such a thing has happened in Zimbabwe.

AoHF flighted adverts inviting would-be beneficiaries to come forward whereupon three girls and three boys who aced were selected.

The trainees were drawn from different parts of the country as part of the First Lady’s initiative to leave no one and no place behind in her empowerment drive.

The scholarships came as a stitch in time to the beneficiaries some of whom were on the verge of being forced into marriage, while some were already child heads of households.

The class has Delani Dube from Gwanda, Benjamin Muturika from Mhondoro, Carla Miga from Lupane, Ayanda Hela from Chegutu, Emmanuel Tika from Insuza and Cheryl Gavhure from Gokwe.

The duration of the course which is being conducted at Charles Prince Airport, is between one-and-a-half years and two years.

According to instructors, the trainees who started their studies one-and-a-half months ago are faring well and have just written their first examinations.

To showcase how far they had gone with the training, one of the students, Ayanda, had a training sortie which entailed a single circuit.

She could be seen flying in the presence of her chief instructor, while the First Lady and other guests cheered on.

Dr Mnangagwa visited the students and counselled the need for morality and humility.

She implored the trainees to focus on their studies and guard against the “spirit of arrival”, “Spirit of I have made it” and “Spirit of the untouchable” which only ruin one’s pathway to success.

Amai Mnangagwa expressed gratitude to the training school for imparting knowledge into the students who are the future of the country’s aviation industry.

“First of all, I want to thank CATS management and the trainers, all of them here who are teaching you from scratch,” Dr Mnangagwa said.

She gave a brief of how she managed to finance the scholarships.

“At first, through my foundation, I got fees for a few students, but I kept on looking for more funds through our partners who work with Angel of Hope Foundation who understand my goals. They chipped in and helped me with fees for the other students,” she said.

Amai Mnangagwa further urged the students to stay away from mischief.

“You are the age that is now targeted by social vices such as drug and substance abuse. Apart from that people who come into the limelight are affected by the ‘spirit of arrival’. We also have another spirit of ‘I have made it’,” They will see me”. What does this bring? What do they come with?” she asked.

In response, Carla said: “I think the spirit of ‘I have made it’ brews pride where someone thinks they are now at the top and no longer remember where they came from.”

“Yes that is what it entails,” Dr Mnangagwa said.

“Then there is another one. ‘Spirit of untouchable’. How do you understand that?”

In response, Cheryl said: “In my view, the spirit of untouchable is when someone is consumed by pride and they fancy themselves on a higher level that they even ignore those who assisted them in the beginning.”

Dr Mnangagwa weighed in, imploring the children to fight such spirits which she said did not work in their best interests.

“So all these spirits that I have talked about, they need to be removed, you don’t need them. All you need is to remain humble and focused. Even after completing your course, nothing should change you. Yes, you are going to be a captain tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean you are somebody who doesn’t take advice or listen to other people. Good manners must stay with you and never depart from you,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa encouraged the students to work hard and succeed.

“I have come here to encourage you to work hard. Respect the instructors, they are your brothers and sisters. You have chosen your path, work hard for it and achieve your intended goals that you want,” she said.

“I have come to say congratulations my children, you passed all the rigorous process you went through for you to be where you are today. You are now role models to others. You are now an inspiration to others so that they envy to reach your stage.

“It is my wish as a mother that all children be educated and build their future. I am glad there are girls among you. I encourage you to work hard and pass and not to drop midway. To my girls, this aviation field is mainly male-dominated. Why did you choose this path?” she said.

In response, a girl said she wanted to prove that she was equally capable like men.

“I wanted to prove that what men can do, women can do better. I wanted to show them that girls too can do it,” she said.

Another girl said being a pilot was her dream.

“Amai I always wished to be a pilot and set an example. I like challenges because even in High School I was the only girl in the physics class.”

The First Lady congratulated the girls for their bravery.

“You did well my daughters. You have inspired other girls out there. I warn you all against taking drugs because they destroy your future. How do you operate a plane, while intoxicated? I heard your personal history, but I say, let not your background define you. Also put God first in all you do. Being here today is not your ability, but God’s grace. Work hard and change your background. You are also being trained to serve your country,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa also spoke against premarital sexual relationships which she said might lead to unwanted pregnancies, resulting in some dropping out of the training school.

“To CATS, words might fail me. You accepted these children despite their backgrounds that other people would not want to be associated with. I am grateful for the work that you are doing and for partnering with AoHF. You gave these students an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Amai Mnangagwa, who was described as an exemplary empowerment champion by the school authorities, was also granted the honour to present aviation kits to the students.

The beneficiaries gave brief backgrounds of themselves and the challenges they faced before the First Lady came to their rescue.

Ayanda said: “I wish to thank our mother, Amai Mnangagwa for this opportunity she gave us to train here at Charles Prince Airport under her AoHF’s scholarship. With my background I had no hope whatsoever to train as a pilot. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank her for assisting me. My background was quite hard because my parents divorced when I was young. My mother was self employed and she could not afford to sustain us as a family.

“She also had a medical condition which chewed up most of the money she realised from her small business so life was really hard. Fortunately, I was a bright student and I pursued my education through scholarships so after my Advanced Level studies there was no money to put me through university and some family members were even suggesting that I should get married.

“I, however, refused because I felt it was unfair to suggest that I be married when I wanted to pursue my studies. Amai saved me from being married off at a young age. Angel of Hope Foundation frowns upon child marriages and I thank the First Lady for helping me run away from a child marriage,” she said with a broad smile. Cheryl said she did not get it all rosy.

“I want to thank Amai, the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa because growing up for me was not easy, it was a challenge and I never thought that I would be here at this moment. My father was retrenched when I was still in primary school and we all went to stay in the rural areas.

“My aunty later took me to Chitungwiza where I stayed with her and her children.

“Unfortunately, when I was doing my advanced level studies, my aunt then died leaving me without an option but to be a vendor to pay my fees. After completing A level, I had no money to go further with my studies. I thought my life had ended.

“I am glad I found this opportunity through our First Lady and her Angel of Hope Foundation. Amai gave me hope. Right now I am looking forward to being a captain and flying our mother one day. Being a pilot was always my dream from the time when I was young. I was a very curious child who really wanted to know that which makes planes fly in the skies.

“I never thought my dream would come true and here I am because of Amai and her Angel of Hope. I would like to thank you and I am going to be a captain at Air Zimbabwe. To all girls the sky is not the limit. If you have a dream, please be patient and pursue it, do not give up. Marriage is not the solution,” she said.

Benjamin shared his background.

“ I thank you greatly Amai because my life was very difficult. I came from a very tough background. Going to school was a challenge and I had to persevere to pass as I aspired to become a pilot one day. Because of some challenges, this delayed me from going for tertiary education.

“When AoHF advertised the scholarship, I managed to seize the opportunity and applied to realise my dream.

“Thank you for your intervention Amai and I aspire to assist others in need and ensure my agemates stay away from drugs. I am thankful for Amai’s assistance that has made us come from humble backgrounds to get where we are today,” he said.

Another trainee added; “I persevered to learn but when I finished my advanced level, my father succumbed to pancreatic cancer and my dreams were shattered. I kept praying to God that I would get a breakthrough and manage to complete my studies. Our mother, the First Lady came along and took me through. I wish to inspire others.”

Captain Rudo Magwere, the chief flight instructor paid tribute to the First Lady for her benevolence.

“Amai this initiative you have done for us is important. Some people say if you have daughters, why would you send them to school, but Amai your vision is to see the girl child empowered through education. It is a privilege that I now get to stand here after you gave me these children to run with them.

“We are running with them as they have since written their first exam in a space of a month and a half when we started. On behalf of the CATS team we are so thankful that you chose us as the school which will be able to do this programme. I am happy to tell you Amai that the students you gave us are well disciplined,” she said.

Mr Joe Mparuri, the director, instructor and examiner said the First Lady has made history.

“This is making history and a first of its kind initiative of which the benefits will outlive all of us. That’s the first thing I wanted to say, Amai.

“Thank you for believing in our youth Amai and thank you for investing in their futures, thank you for your generosity, for your resolve through these young six lives, their families, their communities will have been served and this is coming through your generosity.

“We are truly grateful, we see the benefits of what it is that they are going to achieve when we see them in the future,” he said.

This is not the first time the mother of the nation has rolled out scholarships through her AoHF as there are already many students attaining education in various fields at universities across the globe. – Herald