First Lady takes school feeding programme to Midlands

Tendai Rupapa

The school feeding programme is a commitment to children’s well-being and a testament to the nation’s collective vision for a healthier, brighter Zimbabwe, health ambassador Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.

Addressing thousands of learners and community members in Shurugwi North yesterday, Dr Mnangagwa also encouraged healthy eating and high morality.

As the country’s health ambassador, Amai Mnangagwa also touched on the Mpox disease encouraging people to be on high alert.

She invited the provincial medical director to explain the Mpox disease and what should be done.

So far two positive cases have been recorded in Zimbabwe.

The mother of the nation donated 30 tonnes of maize meal to schools for the feeding programme which provides children with strength to learn, enhances their alertness and boosts their cognitive as well as comprehension abilities.

Dr Mnangagwa urged parents to lead exemplary lives, while keeping a close eye on their children to prevent mischief and drug abuse which is rearing an ugly head among youths across the country.

The colourful event started with the mother of the nation and women from communities preparing and serving the learners a variety of dishes that comprised rice in peanut butter, sadza, beef stew, road runner, sugar beans, liver, tripe and offals, dried vegetables, cabbage and water.

For dessert, the children were treated to juice and snacks.

While the children were enjoying, the mother of the nation interacted with them encouraging the consumption of food, while still hot and teaching them table manners.

The First Lady, who is on record encouraging parents to lead exemplary lives, was accompanied by her son, Collins who sought to tap into the philanthropic works being carried out by his mother.

He also helped in feeding the children.

The mother of the nation also held an interactive session with the learners.

Nutrition, the First Lady said, is the foundation upon which people build strong bones and resilient spirits.

“In our beloved Zimbabwe, we are blessed with an abundance of traditional foods that not only nourish our bodies, but also connect us to our rich cultural heritage.

“These foods; our sadza, muriwo, nyimo and many others are more than mere sustenance, they are a celebration of our identity, a source of strength and a treasure trove of nutrients vital for our growth and development.

“Research constantly shows that a balanced diet is crucial for optimal physical and cognitive development,” she said.

For children, the First Lady said nutritious meals were essential to fuel their dreams and ambitions.

When young ones were provided with wholesome meals, she said, their stomachs were not merely being filled, but they were also having their minds equipped with the energy needed to learn, explore and discover the world around them.

“Let us take a moment to reflect on the significance of this feeding programme. It is a beacon of hope for families who may struggle to provide adequate nutrition at home. The impact of hunger on learning cannot be overstated. When children are well-fed, they are more attentive, more engaged and more capable of grasping the knowledge imparted to them.

“Education is the key to unlocking a world of possibilities and we must ensure that no child is held back due to hunger. To all the educators present today, thank you for your unwavering dedication to shaping the minds of our youth.

“You play a pivotal role in this journey,” she said.

By fostering a nurturing environment and promoting healthy eating habits, the First Lady said educators were not only teaching subjects, but also instilling values that will guide children throughout their lives.

“Let us work together to create an atmosphere where nutrition is prioritised and traditional foods are celebrated. Now, I want to speak directly to our young learners, the stars of our future. You are the heartbeat of our nation.

“Each one of you possesses unique tenets and dreams waiting to be realised. I urge you to take your studies seriously and approach your education with passion and determination. Aim for the stars! Your potential knows no bounds.

“Remember, the path to success is often paved with challenges, but it is through hard work, perseverance and a commitment to learning that you will rise above any obstacle,” she said.

The mother of the nation implored the children to embrace education as a powerful tool that will create the future, they envisage.

“As you enjoy the delicious meals provided by this programme, I encourage you to appreciate the flavours of our traditional cuisine and the stories they tell.

“Let these meals be a reminder of where you come from and the incredible heritage that shapes who you are. In closing, let us celebrate this initiative as a step toward a brighter future for our children. Together, we can cultivate a generation that values nutrition, embraces its cultural roots and strives for excellence in all endeavours. Let us commit to nourishing our bodies and minds for in doing so, we are investing in the future of Zimbabwe,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa said learners needed to remain humble and eager to learn as she lit the environment with lighter moments. She also allowed the children to express themselves on certain topics.

“My wish is for you to learn hard and cleverly while your bodies are strong as teachers take you to the sports fields for your bones to grow stronger. But listen, once you start doing bad things that fight your body, you do not get far.

“What do you think are these things that fight one’s flesh and body? I want pupils to tell me what these things are as our parents listen,” she said.

In response, a learner said stealing affected people.

“Stealing affects one’s life because if you consume intoxicating substances, you end up failing to get money to buy them and this forces you to steal people’s chickens to sell and raise money for drugs,” he said.

Yet another young learner drew laughter when she pointed at the effects of children watching pornography.

“Why would someone take pictures of himself in the nude? What do you want to achieve? Listen how children are crying out loud,” the First Lady said.

“Being involved in love affairs before the time is ripe affects one’s life,” a learner told the gathering.

The First Lady also spoke to parents urging them to mend their ways for the benefit of their families.

“The children are crying out saying for them to be involved in the drugs that are being talked about, it is because of the way the parents are living at home. Some mothers are now always drunk. Are you the mother who is getting so drunk?

“If you buy intoxicating substances, the children will copy from you. Are you really the woman who is being accompanied by different men who leave you at the gate? Madzimai, let us not do that because as a mother you lead the household. You are the one who shapes how you want your children to behave.

“How do you want people to speak about your home? It’s all because of you as a mother. In the homes it’s all noise and violence with your spouses, we say no to domestic violence,” she said. The mother of the nation implored people to maintain good hygiene to keep diseases at bay.

“We are saying because of health issues, we must always be smart and keep our environment clean. What we cook must be smart and must be consumed while still hot so that we keep diseases at bay.

“We have officers from the Ministry of Health and Child Care to tell us about this new disease that has come called Mpox.

“We faced Covid-19, which had similar symptoms because greeting is now difficult because Mpox is being transmitted through shaking hands. If I do not shake your hand, I have not belittled you, neither have I considered you an outcast nor hated you, but the times we are wading through sometimes make us behave that way because we all want to live and look after these children together.

“If there is a funeral, do not get disheartened that you did not shake hands to express your condolences. Mpox is now here in Zimbabwe. Now look at the greeting part and we are going back to Covid-19.

“We have health personnel who are going to tell us whether or not Mpox is curable and how it destroys us. If we follow the don’ts, we may be able to stop the disease from spreading. I, however, implore that the household be kept clean at all times and after cooking supper, we must clean the utensils. We must also teach our children.

“As a mother you must sit down with your children, you must know how your children move. As the child leaves for school and comes back, look at how they have left home and come back so that you assess whether they have come back the same way.

“Our children nowadays are doing much more than we did during our time so we must monitor them at all times,” she said.

The Midlands Provincial Medical Director Mary Muchekeza was invited to explain what is Mpox and the measures that are needed to be taken to keep it at bay.

“Last week, we recorded two cases of Mpox in the country. Mpox is a disease that is mainly found in monkeys, but is transmitted to humans through close contact with these animals.

“There are some people who take monkeys as pets or they just come into contact with the people and transmit the disease.

“The two cases that were confirmed in Zimbabwe last week resulting in a press statement from the Ministry of Health and Child Care were of people who once travelled to South Africa and other countries with the disease.

“How is the disease found? In most cases, someone may come from South Africa and we start playing with them and they then start showing the signs after 21 days. What are the symptoms? “A person may be noticed by developing blisters all over the body. They are mostly in the hands, the tummy and at the back. On the face it’s rare. The person may be identified by high fever and coughing. We mostly see the blisters and coughing”.

She added that the disease is spread by close contact, greeting, embracing, sexual contact, kissing and speaking closely together.

“Those are the well-known causes. During this time, let us get back to the Covid-19 era precautions where we did not stay closely together, especially if, one is positive. Visit the nearest clinic for help”.

She said Mpox is not curable, but fades away on its own if one’s immune system is strong.

“All we do is to ensure we give you pills to relieve pain. If the temperature is high, we prescribe medication to lower the temperature.

“We urge people being treated to be isolated as was the case in the Covid-19 era. We can isolate one at home. One can heal in two to four weeks and when healed the individual will see the blisters explode and form new skin.

“During the isolation period, health personnel will be visiting you for 21 days seeing to it that people close by are not affected.

“One of the cases is here in the Midlands in Mberengwa and the disease is under control and there are no signs that the patient infected others. Allow us to work with you to prevent the spread of the pandemic,” she said to applause.

Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Owen Ncube described yesterday as a blessed day.

“Today is an important day for us as the Midlands Province because we have been afforded the opportunity to receive our health ambassador who encourages the consumption of traditional dishes, Her Excellency the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa at the School feeding programme.

“The world praises our First Lady in relation to her works which transforms our lives in this country.

“Therefore, as the Midlands Province we rally behind our development focus under Vision 2030 which was enunciated by our leader, the First Secretary of Zanu PF, Head of State and Government, Commander-in-chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and current Sadc chairman His Excellency the President Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.

“The Second Republic brought about the school feeding programme after seeing food challenges due to drought triggered by the El Nino phenomenon. Our mother mobilised food for our children to attend school while strong. “She did not start by the school feeding programme, she has many other programmes like Agric4She, Nutrition Programme, HPV Vaccination programme for children between 10 and 14 years, Drug and Substance Abuse Mitigation Programme aimed at tackling the drugs menace, Traditional Meal Cookout competition, Gastronomy Tourism which we saw for the first time in Victoria School. She is doing well in tourism. We are grateful to our mother,” he said.

So pleased were members of the community with the First Lady’s programme that they showered her with praises.

“We thank our mother heartily for spearheading this programme and ensuring that we also learn about Mpox which is in our midst. We were so grateful to learn that the situation is well under control,” said Gogo Moreblessing Mabika.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Sekuru Wisdom Kaitano as he wished the First Lady a long life.

“I thank the First Lady for the progressive feeding programme that she has brought to us for our children to attend school without hindrances.

“It ensures our children grow well-nourished and eager to learn more. I also loved her interactive sessions which gave people the chance to express themselves and learn about Mpox disease,” he said. – Herald