Angel of Hope feeds thousands of learners in Hwedza

Tendai Rupapa

Nourishing learners is a collective duty that involves every member of society, Health Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.

Communities, she said, must work hand-in-hand, unite efforts and commit themselves to the cause of healthy eating and learning.

She implored the business community to join in the noble endeavour saying their support was vital to ensuring that all children are well-fed and equipped to succeed in school.

The Angel of Hope Foundation’s Patron, called on relevant stakeholders including parents, local leaders and educators to work together in establishing nutrition gardens at schools, thus teaching children the value of hard work and creating an environment where every child has access to healthy meals.

She made the remarks in Hwedza, Mashonaland East Province yesterday, where she treated thousands of learners from ECD-A to Grade 4 at 20 schools around the district to a sumptuous meal, through her Angel of Hope Foundation, as she complements the Government’s school feeding programme.

The programme ensures no child pulls out of school due to food challenges.

School feeding programmes promote high attendance and reduce dropout rates while carefully selecting balanced meals to improve children’s nutrition.

It also improves concentration and educational performance.

This comes as the country is facing food shortages due low rains caused by the El Nino phenomenon in the last cropping season.

Herself an accomplished hotelier, the First Lady personally prepared the mouth-watering meal with the assistance of women and men from the community and teachers.

The meal comprised rice, sadza, beef stew, chicken roast, sugar beans, vegetables, juice and water.

While the children were enjoying their meal, the mother of the nation, taught them table manners, etiquette and to take their plates to the sink after eating.

Ever since Dr Mnangagwa started the school feeding programme, she has never looked back and always works hard to ensure all provinces and districts are covered. She also held an interactive session with learners and community members, educating them on the benefits of a balanced diet and valuing education.

In her remarks, the First Lady said children’s nutrition was closer to her heart.

“It is with immense joy that I address you today standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you on a mission that resonates deeply within my soul and is pivotal to the future of our cherished nation, embodied in our children as we convene under the auspices of the First Lady’s School feeding programme. We are not merely engaging in dialogue, but about sustenance, we are constructing the very backdrop of a healthier, more flourishing society.

“As guardians we are acutely aware that our children represent the most invaluable asset we possess. They are the dreams we nurture, the ambitions we foster and the future we are duty-bound to safeguard. Yet to unlock their full potential, our children require the right nourishment, one that enhances focus, enriches learning and supports their holistic development. Today I wish to underscore the irrefutable significance of providing our children with wholesome meals,” she said.

Research has consistently demonstrated that well-nourished students excel academically, display improved behaviour and possess an enhanced capacity for learning, Dr Mnangagwa said.

When adequately fed, children are more inclined to attend school consistently and immerse themselves in their studies.

“In stark contrast, when they arrive at school on empty stomachs, their ability to concentrate diminishes and their academic performance falters. This is not merely a statistic, it’s a daily reality faced by countless children.

“In Zimbabwe, we are fortunate to possess a rich culinary heritage that presents us with a plethora of traditional foods that are not only nutritious, but also economical and accessible. Our staple foods such as maize, millet, sorghum and beans are nutritional powerhouses that can sustain our children and equip them with the energy necessary to excel in their educational pursuits. “These foods are deeply intertwined with our culture and history, reflecting the wisdom of our ancestors who recognised the significance of balanced diets long before contemporary science affirmed their insights. However, we must not only celebrate our traditional foods, we must also take action. I urge each and every one of you to consider the benefits of growing these nutritious crops in your own gardens. By planting traditional grains and vegetables, we cannot only secure food for our families, but also inspire our children with the knowledge of how to cultivate their own sustenance,” she said.

The First Lady had words of advice for parents to teach children the value of hard work.

“Dear parents, let us teach our children the value of hard work, the joy of reaping what they sow and the importance of holistic healthy through the foods we consume. Furthermore, I implore the business community to join us in this noble endeavour. The support is vital to ensuring that all children are well-fed and equipped to succeed in school by donating resources, funds or even your expertise, we can make a significant impact on the lives of countless children. Schools from our communities can benefit from your assistance whether it be in the form of food supplies, cooking equipment or even the establishment of nutrition gardens.

“Your generosity can help create an environment where every child has access to healthy meals, allowing them to focus on their education without any distractions. I also call upon relevant stakeholders including you parents, local leaders and educators to work collaboratively in establishing nutrition gardens at schools.

“These gardens can serve as a hands-on educational tool for our children. Teaching them about nutrition, agriculture and sustainable practices while simultaneously providing them with fresh produce to complement their meals. Together we can create self-sustaining ecosystems within our schools that promote health, wellness and environmental stewardship. “Let us not forget that the responsibility to nourish our children does not rest solely on the shoulders of parents or educators alone. It is a collective duty that involves every member of our society. We must work hand in hand, unite our efforts and commit ourselves to the cause of healthy eating and learning,” she said.

By prioritising nutrition, the First Lady said, communities will be investing in the future of the nation.

“In conclusion, as we embark on this journey to feed our children nutritious meals, and teach them the value of traditional food, let us remember that we are not just addressing hunger, we are empowering the next generation. We are instilling in them, the belief that they are worthy of help, knowledge and opportunity. Together we can build an environment where every child can learn without hunger, a country where the potential of our youth is realised and a future filled with promise and possibility,” she said.

The mother of the nation said her Angel of Hope Foundation worked with partners who enable her to traverse the length and breadth of Zimbabwe.

“Today I have come with National Foods which is one of the foundation’s partners. National Foods has packages of traditional grains that were mixed to make meal. The food promotes good health and all of you to be strong we encourage you to eat these grains. Whenever I receive donations from partners and well-wishers, i personally take all of them to the intended beneficiaries,” she said.

She then donated the traditional grains meal to schools for continuation of the programme.

In her interaction with the learners, Dr Mnangagwa sought to know what Gota means.

In response, Tawananyasha Foromani (9) said it is a hut where boys sleep.

“What about girls? Where do they sleep?” the First Lady asked.

Farirai Mudzamiri (9) said: “Nhanga is where we, as girls, sleep.”

“Why do boys and girls not sleep in one room?” the First Lady asked further.

Dean Matsekete responded: “Because these days us children are naughty. If boys and girls are to share the same room, they will start being naughty and have love relations before reaching the age of 18 and fall pregnant. If an underage girl conceives, she has complications when giving birth because her body will not be strong enough.”

The First Lady asked the learners what they do before leaving for school, a question that elicited a lot of responses like bathing, wearing uniforms and having breakfast.

“What about domestic chores? Are you assisting your parents with the little you can, starting from bedding, sweeping your bedroom, lighting the fire and greeting your parents,” the First Lady said.

She educated the children on many things expected of them.

Dr Mnangagwa urged secondary school students to concentrate on their studies and not chase after two rabbits like being involved in love affairs.

“We say no to a person who comes to school thinking about Betty and Betty thinking about Richard. Study hard, look after yourselves because we want lawyers, doctors pilots, teachers and nurses in the future. As parents we look up to you. The stage you are at is the one for shaping careers for the future,” she said.

Members of the community praised the First Lady for her love and commitment to see children from vulnerable communities succeeding.

“I have been deeply moved by the gesture extended to our community by the First Lady through her Angel of Hope Foundation. If children have eaten healthy food, they concentrate in class and are able to comprehend what they are taught compared to when they are hungry,” Mr Thomas Gwenzi said.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Mrs Charity Nyamombe.

“Our children are very happy today because of what the First Lady has done for them. She has personally prepared the food and fed the children, putting smiles on their little faces. She has shown us the direction that we as a community should take and ensure we regularly provide balanced, hot meals for our learners. Amai taught us that it is everyone’s responsibility and that we should have gardens with traditional foods for healthy eating,” she said.

Mrs Susan Kagurabadza said she was charmed by the First Lady’s drive to ensure children were provided with food.

“We are in the middle of an El-Nino induced drought and the previous season was not good at all. Our harvests were very poor while most of the food crops we had planted were a complete write-off. The coming in of the First Lady to ensure our children are fed is highly commendable. It also teaches us as community to stand up to the challenge and ensure we regularly provide food for all our learners in the schools,” she said.

Minister of State for Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Aplonia Munzverengwi, paid tribute to the First Lady for her school feeding programme.

“We are grateful Amai that you spend the day cooking and feeding the learners. They all enjoyed the food and finished their portions. This programme is essential to us as a province. You cover all your children and this programme opens the children’s minds in class and the children will be excited to go to school. We want to thank the President for donating food to all provinces so that people are food secure in the wake of the El Nino-induced drought. This food is getting even to schools. Amai, we are seeing your efforts as you complement the Government since no one can accomplish a huge task alone,” she said.

Wedza North legislator Advocate Itai Ndudzo thanked Dr Mnangagwa for the programme saying it was highly beneficial.

“We thank you dearly for this programme which has benefitted thousands of learners. We also thank you for the time you have spent educating us on various topics which affect our day-to-day lives,” he said. – Herald