Blessings Chidakwa

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s philanthropic works through her Angel of Hope Foundation continues to charm the Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan who has once again donated goods including an assortment of groceries, blankets, duvets, solar powered lights and stationery.

Angel of Hope Foundation handed the donated stuff to orphans at Hupenyu Hutsva Children’s Home in Highfield with the children also benefiting from free medical checks from a team of Chinese medical experts.

It was all smiles for the 98 children as each one of them received their own stationery kit, free medical checks among several other goodies. 

Amai Mnangagwa who was represented by Local Government and Public Works Deputy Minister Marian Chombo thanked her counterpart Chinese First Lady for the kind gesture.

“I feel greatly honoured to stand before you all as we witness the power of humanity through a donation of some daily necessities and stationeries courtesy of her excellency madam Peng Liyuan, the First Lady of China on her quest to support the fundamentals and good works of the Angel of Hope Foundation, an organisation, where I am a patron and founder.

“The donation will go towards assisting the local orphanage. In addition to this consignment, her Excellency madam Peng Liyuan also extended a free health check-up for the orphans on the event and this will be conducted by the Chinese medical team in Zimbabwe,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa said the donation came after successful celebrations of International Children’s Day on the 1st of June 2023, where the Chinese First Lady proposed a China-Africa joint action named “Warm children’s hearts” to improve the health and well-being of orphans in African countries including Zimbabwe.

“The daily necessities and stationeries will go a long way in empowering the orphans in their educational endeavours and well-being.

“The precious gift came as a pivotal pillar to support my efforts to make sure that each and every less privileged segment of our society got aid and suitable assistance for better and sustainable living standards,” she said.

Amai Mnangagwa added that: “It is also one of the key drivers of the Angel of Hope Foundation to facilitate youth empowerment through training in different facets of life such as detergents manufacturing, cooking and sawing to mention just, but a few and this can only be done after the orphans got basic education and good health.”

The First Lady said it is her wish that the significance of the orphanage training programmes improves the livelihoods of the general citizens of Zimbabwe and the world at large.

“Your excellency, the First Lady of China, an old adage of Zimbabwe says; “If you empower a woman (like me) you have empowered the whole nation” therefore, this donation has not only benefited Angel of Hope Foundation in its empowerment drive but Zimbabwe as a nation.

“I say this because the training programmes that will be supported by these daily necessities and stationeries will help the whole nation in several ways that is reducing rural-urban migration in search of health facilities, curtail dependency syndrome, promote income generation, create employment and improve the standard of living and enhance skills development, resulting in reduced early marriages, curb drug and substance abuse as well as reduce domestic violence.”

To the First Lady of China, Dr Mnangagwa said the donation has come in handy to the Angel of Hope Foundation, thanking her for an informed and timely donation.

“Let me take this opportunity to implore the local leadership, the business fraternity and local health practitioners to come in handy with materials such as educational books, medicines and other materials to support Her Excellency Madam Peng Liyaun’s efforts to improve the health and well-being of orphans in African countries.

“I also implore some local companies to emulate this exemplary and creditable endeavour by Her Excellency, the First Lady of China,” she said.

Chinese envoy to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Zhou Ding who handed the donation said it was his pleasure to attend the donation ceremony for “Warm Children’s Hearts: a China-Africa joint action” on behalf of her Excellency Madame Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Ambassador Zhou “Warm Children’s Hearts: A China-Africa joint action” is proposed by the Chinese First Lady and the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development, to further improve the health and well-being of African orphans.

“Madame Peng Liyuan and Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa care a lot for women and children affairs in Zimbabwe.

“Since the outbreak of the Covid-19, Madame Peng Liyuan has donated medical supplies and 1 million doses of Covid vaccines to women, children and youth in Zimbabwe through the Office of the First Lady of Zimbabwe,” he said.

Ambassador Zhou said the Chinese Embassy, together with Chinese companies and communities in Zimbabwe, contributes to raising the standards and protecting the rights of women, children and other vulnerable groups to the best of its ability.

“We donate to Angel of Hope Foundation, build orphanages and schools for local residents. China firmly believes that the right to subsistence and to development are the basic human rights of primary importance, which definitely calls for better development conditions for women and children.

“His Excellency President Mnangagwa proposes to leave no one and no place behind. I believe this also means to leave no child behind,” he said.

Ambassador Zhou also took this opportunity to pay tribute to all the teachers and staff in Hupenyu Hutsva Children’s Home and all those who care for children’s well-being in Zimbabwe.

“It is your love and care, hard work that brings hope to the children. Indeed, you are Angels of Hope. Today, the First Ladies of our two countries will donate food, stationery and other daily necessities to Hupenyu Hutsva Children’s Home.

“The Chinese Medical Team in Zimbabwe will conduct a health check-up for our children here. I believe that today’s event will bring more warmth to all our young friends here,” he said.

Ambassador Zhou said Children are the future hence they need to be well protected.

“China will continue to support the cause of women and children in Zimbabwe, and continue to support the effort of Her Excellency Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and the Angel of Hope Foundation to improve the well-being of vulnerable groups in Zimbabwe.

“I believe that with love and care, our children here will grow up healthily and become talents to build a better Zimbabwe. I hope that our children here could keep China-Zimbabwe friendship in your minds and become the inheritors and promoters of China-Zimbabwe friendship,” he said.

Ambassador Zhou also said he hopes that the children will get opportunities to visit or study in China in the future, wishing them a bright and prosperous future.

Hupenyu Hutsva Children’s Home superintendent Michael Mukwaiwa was in cloud nine over the donation thanking the First Lady for remembering them.

“What you have done means a lot and lessens our task of providing the welfare of basic needs for our vulnerable children to survive.

“The medical team has covered the health of our children with stationery covering the education sector and groceries covering the basics that makes them survive. Lastly the blankets will go a long way in warming them making sure they won’t feel excluded socially,” he said.

Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare director social disability and social development, Dr Edmos Mtetwa also expressed gratitude saying as ministry they were indeed humbled by the gesture of the First Lady.