The Sunday Mail
Tendai Rupapa in ZHOMBE
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday visited Zhombe community with her Angel of Hope Foundation’s mobile clinic and health practitioners as part of her cancer screening campaign, and held a heart-to-heart interactive session with the community to address various social issues affecting them.
Women queue at an Angel of Hope Foundation mobile clinic to be screened for cervical and breast cancer in Zhombe yesterday
Women were screened for cervical and breast cancer, while men received prostate cancer screening.
People were also afforded health checks for many other ailments and Covid-19 vaccination.
Issues discussed included Covid-19, domestic violence, drug abuse, teen pregnancies and frosty relations between mothers-in-law and their daughters-in-law.
The First Lady is the country’s health ambassador and has been at the forefront of promoting early detection of non-communicable diseases to ensure prompt commencement of treatment to save lives.
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa explains the benefits of being screened for breast and cervical cancer to women during her Angel of Hope Foundation’s cancer screening programme in Zhombe yesterday.
Mrs Semeni Mutimhodya, popularly known as Mai Pesanai, who is popular for her song called “Mira Panzvimbo”, provided entertainment.
Her song highlights how families must live and what was generally expected of each member of the family.
Mrs Mutimhodya travelled all the way from Masvingo in support of the First Lady’s programme. The decision to visit Zhombe, the First Lady said, was part of her outreach activities to commemorate and reflect on the World Cancer Day in February.
“Although the national commemoration was on February 4 in Harare, it is very important that we take the same message about cancers to all parts of the country, especially rural areas which are ordinarily left out on account of distance and service coverage. As part of my outreach activities and services, I visited Mhangura in Mashonaland West last week and I was overwhelmed by the number of women who attended our engagement and used the services I offered them,” she said.
Part of the crowd that attended Angel of Hope Foundation’s medical outreach where they were screened for cancer in Zhombe yesterday
Though she was glad with the progress Zimbabwe had achieved in addressing HIV, she was deeply worried about the rising cases of cancer, especially cervical cancer.
“Most women die in silence and seek services much later when the disease has progressed. I therefore brought along a bus which is carrying modern equipment for screening women for cervical and breast cancer, while men also have their area where they are being screened for prostate cancer. I would like all of you to get screened for your own health and that of your families,” she said.
“I will continue visiting all parts of the country discussing issues to do with cancer. I enjoy visiting rural communities so that the elderly can get information and assistance like everyone else.”
“In your own view, what causes cervical cancer?” she asked.
In response, Mrs Rosemary Mazarire said: “There are people who sell dangerous herbs on street corners making people believe that once they apply the charms on their private parts, men would neither ditch them nor seek other women.”
Gogo Mable Ngwenya said cervical cancer was also caused by having multiple sexual partners.
The First Lady implored women to desist from the practice of inserting foreign objects into their reproductive areas.
“Women, let us not insert some foreign and dangerous herbs (mishonga) in our uterus because this will affect us. Also we must not delay in seeking treatment because if detected early, cervical cancer can be treated. Do not wait until it is too late. I urge you to be examined each time you visit a clinic. Men, too, must be screened for prostate cancer,” she said.
On Covid-19, she urged communities to continue observing World Health Organisation protocols of masking up, washing hands and observing social distancing.
The mother of the nation spoke candidly against gender-based violence, which she said affected family life and was a bad influence on children. She said men had a special role to play in ensuring that women received the necessary support in looking after and keeping families together.
“To all men, you must ensure that cases of gender-based violence, including early child marriages and denying educational support to the girl-child, are eradicated,” she said.
She added: “As your daughter and mother of the nation, I am very worried about increasing cases of gender-based violence.
“Stressing each other in the homes is bad. Men and women must not fight daily in the presence of children. Now, when you fight time and again, will you have time to be screened for cancer? We say no to domestic violence and all forms of abuse. Even the time to grow crops during this farming season will be hard to find as you will be concentrating on violence.”
She voiced concern about how young people were being ruined by drugs, saying this affected their education and triggered many social challenges.
“Boys and girls are being destroyed by drugs. Most girls failed to return to school because of pregnancies. As parents, let us sit down with our children and teach them manners. I heard when these children take drugs, they spend days sleeping. You are our future leaders and you shall look after us in the future. But will you manage to do so if you abuse alcohol and drugs? Boys, stop impregnating girls. You girls, if you lose your manners, it shall be a challenge when you want to get married. Focus on your education and empower yourselves.”
Amai Mnangagwa added that her motivation to visit rural areas was also anchored on her passion and interest to interact with and learn from the elderly, whom she said were a reservoir of life experience and knowledge.
She asked the qualities which mothers-in-law looked up to in a daughter-in-law, and this elicited a lot of responses which kept the interactive session lively.
Said Gogo Erica Mhlanga: “I want a well-mannered daughter-in-law who is respectful and works hard. Because I sent my son to school, I want a daughter-in-law who is equally educated.”
Gogo Emelda Moyo accused some mothers-in-law of causing the collapse of their children’s marriages.
“We mothers-in-law have a problem of destroying our children’s marriages. This is because our sons will be accustomed to looking after us, but when they marry, we should give the daughter-in-law her space and accord her the respect she deserves. Some mothers-in-law behave as though they share the same husband with the daughter-in-law,” she said to applause.
Another discussant said some mothers-in-law ruined their relations with their daughters-in-law by seeking to hold private discussions with their married sons.
“Relations between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are frosty. At times a mother calls her son for a private meeting, excluding me. What is it that they will be discussing? Some aunts who were divorced sometimes seek to set laws in my home yet she left hers to collapse.”
This did not sink well with an elderly woman, who quipped: “Some daughters-in-law are so imposing and if you try to show them how things are done in your home, they come with her own curriculum and remind you that they belong to a new generation such that some of the clothes they puts on are undignified.”
The First Lady asked the women if they were also equipping their daughters with the qualities they expected in a daughter-in-law.
“I have heard you all saying you want well-mannered daughters-in-law, but my question is: Are you also teaching your daughters good things to prepare them for the time when they will be married? Now you fathers-in-law, what kind of son-in-law would you want?”
An elderly man said he wanted a son-in-law who could perform tasks expected of men around the home.
“I want a son-in-law who can do all tasks at home. These days some cannot even handle a plough. I want a son-in-law who does not beat up my daughter and who pays the bride price.”
A son-in-law pleaded equality with those who live in towns.
“I implore in-laws to accord us the same respect as those sons-in-law who live in towns. Some in-laws respect those who live in towns. Even our mothers-in-law love to carry children of well-heeled sons-in-law on their backs all the time,” he said.
The First Lady implored the gathering to put into practice all that had been learnt.
Several traditional chiefs attended the programme, and Amai Mnangagwa paid tribute to them for their work in uniting families in their areas of jurisdiction.
Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavima hailed the First Lady for her hard work.
“Amai is a hardworking person and this kind of love she has is wonderful. I was telling my colleagues that if we all work the way she does, our country will develop. We must work for our country. Today we have all gathered to appreciate her love and hard work. Amai, you uplift the lives of your children and leave everyone satisfied. As Midlands province, we are grateful for always being remembered by you our mother,” he said.
Among those who were screened for cervical cancer was Mrs Courage Nkomo from Hlomula Village, who said it was her first time to be screened and thanked the First Lady for the opportunity.
“I am grateful for this opportunity. I had never gone through cervical cancer screening and today I have done so free of charge because of our caring mother. We want to thank her for her mission and outreach programmes, which have helped us. We were taught that It is important to get screened early because this disease knows no age,” she said.
The First Lady gave food hampers and toiletries to Chiefs and the elderly.
She thanked her Angel of Hope Foundation’s partners for their continued support.
