The Sunday Mail
. . . First Lady tells graduates to use skills for development
Tendai Rupapa in MARONDERA
AROUND 6 800 residents in Mashonaland East province graduated on Friday, after going through various life-changing courses, courtesy of the partnership between First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s Angel of Hope Foundation and the Zimbabwe Open University, which is empowering communities through open learning.
This brings the number of people who have benefitted from the ongoing initiative countrywide to 45 286.
Beneficiaries include people with disabilities, youths, the elderly, former ladies of the night, orphans and inmates.
Courses on offer included Agriculture, Basic Counselling, Disability Management and Sign Language, Health Behaviour, Basic Records Management, Cultural Heritage, Entrepreneurship and Business Management, Early Childhood Development, Basic Nurse Aide programme and Palliative Care for the Elderly, and Basic Computer Literacy.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa hands over certificates to Mrs Shamiso Zanhi and her helper during the graduation of beneficiaries of the Angel of Hope Foundation and ZOU short courses partnership in Marondera yesterday – Pictures: John Manzongo
Dr Mnangagwa took the opportunity to urge the nation to observe peace before, during and after the harmonised elections slated for August 23.
Violence, the First Lady emphasised, should be avoided at all costs for the development of the nation.
The event was the second certification for Mashonaland East graduates, after the combined launch and certification ceremony held on March 22 last year at the Marondera Female Open Prison, where 30 inmates and 16 prison officers graduated.
As the jailed offenders were trained, Dr Mnangagwa said, they were also rehabilitated through the all-inclusive “community of learning”.
Also, 141 young male offenders at Hwahwa Prison have since graduated.
“People with disabilities were also not left behind as I am witnessing their presence at this certification ceremony, true to the adage that disability is not inability. Ladies and gentlemen, as long as you have the willpower to learn, the Angel of Hope Foundation (AOH)/ZOU partnership for community empowerment through open learning is there to uplift your lives. Indeed, the AOH/ZOU partnership is a new social contract intended to upscale the country’s human capital development through life-long education tailor-made to suit different situations and contexts,” she said.
The First Lady said Zimbabweans were responsible for building their own country, especially those who were trained to perform tasks to transform the country, its districts, communities and households.
She described education as a transformative tool and urged people to upgrade themselves by acquiring new skills and knowledge.
“Quality education comes in different forms but it is underpinned by one principle: ‘a common good’. Education builds common purposes and enables individuals and communities to flourish together. Indeed, come 2030, we would have acquired education that contributes to the collective knowledge that changes the course of humanity. I, therefore, encourage you to never look back, as you continuously transform your lives through accumulating knowledge. The AOH/ZOU partnership is building into existing knowledge and skills with the intention of taking you to higher levels, brick upon brick, stone upon stone,” she said.
As Zimbabwe responds to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through its midterm economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1, the First Lady said the AOH/ZOU partnership was poised to end poverty, all forms of hunger and malnutrition, discrimination against women and girls, and gender-based violence, among other ills in communities.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa congratulates Mrs Naume Chimanikire (Chief Seke’s wife) who did Agriculture and Cultural Heritage during the graduation of beneficiaries of the Angel of Hope Foundation and ZOU short courses partnership in Marondera yesterday
Inclusive quality education through short courses, she added, was targeted at contributing to the full and productive livelihoods for all women and men by 2030, buttressing strong global, regional, national, community, family and individual developmental goals aimed at transforming lives.
The First Lady applauded all those who graduated — including people with disabilities, mothers with children on their backs, pregnant women, young and elderly women, daughters and sons, daughters-in-law and sons-in-law, young and elderly men, school dropouts, orphans and former ladies of the night.
“ZOU informed me that in the spirit of leaving no place and no one behind, no single individual was turned away from the life-changing training programme,” she said.
The mother of the nation praised the university for being a dependable partner and said, in addition to certificates, the people of Mashonaland East had testimonies on how the short courses had added value to their lives.
To those who did the nurse aide course, the First Lady said: “You are now part of the Angel of Hope Foundation and you are to look after the elderly in your communities who cannot do anything for themselves. This course you selected needs a warm heart. With your great numbers, cases of illness will stay at bay. I thank you for working hard and going through the courses.”
Dr Mnangagwa also had words of advice ahead of the August 23 elections.
“As a mother, I wish to state that peace is greater than everything else. When crying, even at household level, we are crying for peace.
“Now that election time has come, why do we fight? Are we new to these elections? Let us be mature in terms of politics and the governance of our nation.
“You are the ultimate deciders because the leaders at the top are chosen by you; but God would have written this already. However, God did not say we should fight and kill others, come election time. This is an earthly thing which we abhor. We do not want to hear that Mashonaland East province is involved in cases of violence. August 23 is a single day, so why should we fight? On the 24th, we will be saying yesterday we voted, while others will be nursing wounds from the violence of the 23rd. We believe in you and we wish for everyone to vote in peace,” she said.
ZOU Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Gundani, represented by Professor Ermson Nyakatawa, said the First Lady’s social and humanitarian approach to the nation’s empowerment programmes through the Angel of Hope Foundation/ZOU partnership was highly appreciated.
“Amai, it is your dedication and passion that has empowered women, girls and marginalised communities, and, in the process, fulfilling one of ZOU’s shared value of inclusivity and, to a large extent, leaving up to the Second Republic’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind,” he said.
“When it comes to educating the society’s underprivileged, Amai, you are a role model. You demonstrate your conviction that everyone has the right to an education by empowering all people, from the underprivileged to the elderly, through to the delivery of skills and development and humanitarian concerns through the partnership between ZOU and the Angel of Hope Foundation.”
Prof Gundani said what was morally unique about the partnership between ZOU and the Angel of Hope was that neither social and academic standing nor age were barriers to delivery of education.
“The age mix and status of graduands today is a clear testimony to this. Her Excellency, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, your dedication to uplifting the underprivileged has earned reverence at home and abroad. Amai, you are a true model of the African woman and mother. This has led to your growth in stature and repute, and to you becoming a global role model with multiple awards locally and internationally.
“Distinguished guests, allow me to take this moment to heartily congratulate Amai for being presented with a Global Education Leadership Award from Cambridge International Education Conference by the Lady Mayor of Cambridge, Councillor Jenny Gawthrope Wood. This is an international recognition for your exceptional contribution to education, children and women empowerment,” he said.
Gogo Prisca Chisaka (76), who was the eldest graduand, said she studied Health Behaviour to help young people who were affected by drugs.
“I just could not fold my hands and watch our young people perishing because of drugs.
“I decided to study before I move door-to- door, discussing the dangers associated with drugs. What is happening in our country so far is not pleasing, so we need to take action. I want to support the First Lady in the fight against drug and substance abuse. She needs our support,” she said.
Similar words were echoed by the youngest beneficiary — Kerina Chenai Parirenyatwa.
The Lower Sixth learner from Mutoko High School sacrificed her time during the previous school holiday to study so that she could serve the elderly in her community.
“I did nurse aide and palliative care for the elderly through the ZOU and Angel of Hope Foundation partnership. I did the course during the holidays to help my community and people who need assistance. The elderly cannot do certain things and they need assistance, and these are my targeted group. I want to thank the First Lady for offering us these courses for free and I am encouraging my peers to also embrace the courses. They are there for everyone and for free. I will put this course to good use, as I also want to be a philanthropist, inspired by our mother, the First Lady,” she said.
Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Aplonia Munzverengwi said her province felt honoured to host the First Lady.
“As a province, we feel blessed to have you among us and I thank you for the great work you are doing to uplift the lives of Zimbabweans. The programme you are leading here today shows your zeal to transform the life of every citizen. We are here to witness the good work you are executing in the Second Republic. As Mashonaland East province, we feel happy to have 6 800 graduates who are all your children from Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe (UMP) to Seke, Marondera and Hwedza,” she said.
“As we thank you for this splendid work, we advise that we shall work closely with the Zimbabwe Open University as it affords our children the opportunity to do various short courses to transform their lives and the country as a whole. You did not give us fish but you gave us knowledge on how to fish, and that is the proper way to empower a Zimbabwean.”
Chaplain Christine Phiri from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service said it was essential to embrace the well-meaning programmes spearheaded by the First Lady.
“Amai is empowering everyone around the country and is not selective. She is saying no to domestic violence, and empowerment is another weapon to end violence in homes. Vanaamai nanababa, what happened to the love of yesteryear? Our mother is encouraging families to let love lead and live in peace. Women are also beneficiaries of her empowerment programmes and Amai is saying when you earn more than your husband, it is not a passport to rule them, but is encouraging us to be submissive always. Our mother is empowering us so that we help one another in looking after our families and stop causing violence in homes. Love does not hurt. Women promised our mother that they will stay put because she does not want people who walk in and out of marriages. We now want women who are resolute that even after being empowered with courses and being taught submission, they remain in their marriages,” she said.
Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank chief executive officer Dr Mandas Marikanda gave the beneficiaries financial advice and emphasised the importance of paying back loans.
“Those who are coming in will come and join many others who were helped by the Women’s Bank. The money you get from the bank is capital that helps you expand and pay back. We are there to follow the great work being done by our mother, the First Lady. We thank you, Amai, for giving women hoes to use so that when they get into the field, we stand with them. We thank you heartily and we continue backing the good work that you are doing,” she said.
Chief Seke’s wife, Mrs Naume Chimanikire, who also graduated on Friday, showered the First Lady with praises for her all-inclusive programme.
“Amai, today your family is gathered from across all the corners of Mashonaland East province — UMP, Marondera, Hwedza and Seke. We are guaranteed of success across the province through the partnership between your Angel of Hope Foundation and Zimbabwe Open University. Everyone here received a certificate, including myself, as I completed a course in agriculture here in Marondera. I also did a Cultural Heritage course in Seke. The courses will transform our lives as Mashonaland East and the nation at large. ZOU reached many places across the province through your work. The courses are important for everyone and I am encouraging chiefs’ wives across the country to take up these courses and uplift their families and their communities,” she said.
