Angel of Hope patron visits jailed women and their children

Tendai Rupapa

Motherly love drove First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa to visit jailed women and their children at Chikurubi Female Prison on Thursday, in a heart-warming gesture that saw some inmates shedding tears of joy.

The gesture showed the inclusivity of the First Lady’s programmes which are all-encompassing and tailored to ensure no one and no place is left behind.

While some view prisoners as worthless, in Dr Mnangagwa’s eyes they are equal in importance to everyone else and also capable of contributing to the development of their families, community and the nation in various ways once rehabilitated.

Dr Mnangagwa regularly visits the country’s correctional facilities to interface with inmates and was instrumental in the opening of the Marondera Female Open Prison where she was appointed patron.

She has also ensured prisoners also benefit from free life-changing courses offered under the partnership between her Angel of Hope Foundation and Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU).

Amai Mnangagwa invited female deputy ministers, spouses of Ministers and Permanent Secretaries who accompanied her to the prison in support of her noble cause.

Amai Mnangagwa brought food which she cooked together with her entourage and shared a meal with the inmates while strengthening them with words of encouragement and comfort.

The First Lady inclined an ear to various issues the women raised during the heart-to-heart discussion.

She also distributed goods like blankets, mealie-meal, macaroni, sugar, petroleum jelly, washing soap, cooking oil, washing powder, Juice, rice, flour and salt to the prison for the benefit of inmates.

She further donated baby blankets and baby preparation kits to nursing and pregnant inmates.

Amai Mnangagwa taught the inmates many things including personal hygiene, how to care for children, nurture families, discipline, projects among many other topics that completes a woman.

She also offered inmates an opportunity to name the income-generating projects they wished to do so that the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development could assist them.

The First Lady’s first port of call was the nursing mothers’ cell, where she interacted with nursing mothers and their new-born babies.

She encouraged the women to breastfeed their babies exclusively and to take good care of them.

She then proceeded to the kitchen to prepare lunch where she was joined by other women.

Dr Mnangagwa told the women that she had come to strengthen them and to give them hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“I greet you all. It’s not my first time coming here. I still remember some of the faces while others I met completed their sentences and were freed. I did not come as a First Lady because it is just a title. I have come as a mother, grandmother to speak to you my girls. I have come along with vamwe vana mbuya whom I asked to accompany me,” she said.

“I have come to strengthen you that this is only a phase which will come to pass. Some are deeply stressed hence my decision to come and strengthen you,” she said.

She added: “I will soon send some teams working with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small, Medium and Enterprises Development to equip you with vocational training skills so that when you leave this place you will be an empowered woman,” she said.

Amai Mnangagwa then called for a horseshoe sitting arrangement for hearty discussions.

“What is called a wholesome woman? What are the qualities of a good mother?” she asked.

In response, an inmate said a real woman was identified by decent dressing, how she walked as well as dignity.

Amai called the lady to demonstrate what she meant which she did in a comic manner leaving the gathering in stitches.

Dr Mnangagwa concurred with her on the qualities she raised and took time to teach the female inmates good manners which identified a woman.

She also touched on personal and good menstrual hygiene.

Amai invited members of her entourage to also address the inmates.

Mrs Pauline Moyo, wife to

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo implored the women to be beacons of morality.

“Our mother said after completing your sentences do not return to prison therefore go out and become ambassadors of good morals. Your history of being jailed must strengthen you and become your stepping stone,” she said.

Mrs Priscilla Mangwana, wife to Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana, also spoke about good morals and hammered on the importance of teaching children good norms and values.

She said even if the mother was in jail, she must pray for her children so that they do not follow that path.

Deputy Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises

Development Jennifer Mhlanga said the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa had departments which were set up specifically for women.

“The ministry has a community development fund. When released, find something to do. We have a fund set aside for skills training and we are ready to train you. You choose what you will be willing to do and we nurture that.

“We also have the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Corporation (SMEDCO) for small to medium Enterprise development. So please come forward women. Being jailed does not mean the end of the world. You can still be a better person in future all you need is focus and do constructive things,” she said.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona’s wife, Sinodia, spoke on the importance of consuming traditional dishes which are nutritious and medicinal.

The First Lady asked the women the kind of projects they intended to embark on and they mentioned fish farming, detergent making, piggery, sewing, beading, gardening and baking.

The women showcased some of their products from projects that they are already undertaking behind bars.

The mother of the nation implored the women to form groups in line with what they intended to do as Ministry of Women’s Affairs personnel jotted down the names.

Amai Mnangagwa commended the inmates for their zeal to work.

Speaking on behalf of Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner-General Moses Chihobvu, Assistant Commissioner Pamellah Kakwara-Commander Chikurubi Maximum Complex said he appreciated the work Dr Mnangagwa was doing across the country.

“Your selfless efforts and determination Amai has also led us to today’s event, which event shall remain registered in our physical records as well as our hearts and souls that truly we have a loving mother of the nation. As a nation we have embraced your work and the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service also embraces your visit to Chikurubi Female Open Prison with both hands.

“We are elated that you have not only come to ZPCS today, but you have contributed immensely in seeing the establishment of the Marondera Open Female Correctional Institution. This is testament to your commitment Amai for the emancipation of women and the girl child, despite that they wronged the society and they are behind bars,” he said.

The ZPCS management, Comm-Gen Chihobvu said, takes pride in the First Lady’s excellent contribution to the nation’s development agenda whose efforts are geared towards attaining an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

“Despite that the Constitution of Zimbabwe mandates us to protect society from criminal elements, which we do through incarceration of offenders and others required to be detained as well as their rehabilitation for integration back into society. As ZPCS we cannot register positive outcomes without involvement of such kind-hearted people like Her Excellency, Amai Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa,” he said.

Mrs Gloria Tamanikwa, the officer in-charge of Chikurubi Female Prison implored the inmates to put into practice all they had learnt.

“Let us do good things. Our mother loves us and you heard that she is pained by your presence here but she has come nevertheless knowing that the human mind is capable of doing good and bad. Amai you are a good mother who excels in all she does. Whenever you come Amai, your teachings are a valuable source. You imparted them with knowledge so that when they go out there, they will not come back and they will start doing good and even warn others against doing things that can land them in prison,” she said.

Mrs Nyarai Mavima, the wife to Professor Paul Mavima, the Minister of Skills, Audit and Development, said it was critical for people to know their weaknesses, mistakes and work towards correcting them.

“Here at Chikurubi Female Prison I am happy with what our mother has done. She has visited women who are jailed and taught them how to live, income-generating activities and norms. She has left a lot of goodies which are helpful to pregnant women, children’s clothes and other essential provisions. We are learning a lot from our mother who is teaching us to use our hands so that women know that even if they are jailed, it is just a passing phase. This is what she has come to teach the women. We, as spouses of ministers, have also learnt a lot like the need to teach women to work and be helpful in the families. Even in cultural norms and values we are learning. Some were saying they did not know about being respected by their spouses, but after the First Lady’s intervention, things have changed and there is now real love in their homes,” she said.

So touched were the inmates that they spoke glowingly about the mother of the nation’s visit.

Precious Ngirazi (33), who is serving time for fraud and is a master farmer in the prison, expressed her gratitude to the First Lady.

“I would like to thank the First Lady for visiting us here today. I wished to see her and I was so delighted today. Kunyangwe tirimuno muhusungwa, shoko remabasa avo ekusimudzira madzimai tinorinzwa. She is a free person who is not selective but loves us all. I

was glad that she gave us time to explain to her some of the projects that we are undertaking. I am involved in gardening where we grow different types of vegetables. We also have fish ponds where we will start laying fish in September because fish is not farmed in cold seasons. The First Lady listened to all the things we do here and promised to bring us more projects,” she said.

Thandiwe Dube (50) echoed similar sentiments.

“I wish to thank our mother for always remembering us. She came here and cooked for us but most importantly, we have been taught how mothers must live. She urged us to behave well and to never get involved in criminal activities,” she said happily.

Precious Machivenyika (42) from Guruve could not hide her elation because of the food brought by the First Lady.

“I am thankful to our mother for bringing us food while our children have brought provisions like clothes and baby blankets. She also left us food to consume and I wish to thank her for what she has done. We were taught that we are supposed to be self-sufficient and able to use our hands when released from prison. We were told to live well with others upon release because of the correction we are receiving from this facility,” she said.

Deputy Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Emily Jesaya, was also present. – Herald