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The First Lady Cde Auxillia Mnangagwa (right) gets a kiss from Gogo Sineyo Dube on her arrival at Makhulela rural area in Bulilima district yesterday where she commissioned a borehore she funded as well as donate food hampers to the San community. — Pic by Dennis Mudzamiri

Richard Muponde, Plumtree Correspondent
MAKHULELA village in Bulilima West constituency reverberated as the San community welcomed the First Lady, Cde Auxillia Mnangagwa, who visited the remote area bordering Botswana yesterday.

It was all jubilation as the San people welcomed her, the first First Lady to visit the area in the history of the country.

The First Lady knelt down to the elderly San women who had lined up to welcome her, greeting them in their traditional way.  Cde Mnangagwa visited the remote area to officially hand over to the community a borehole, a project she funded.

Apart from providing the community with clean drinking water, the development will see the resuscitation of an irrigation scheme in the area which was established in 1960 but was rendered dysfunctional by years of neglect. The irrigation scheme is expected to start operating again next month after the

First Lady committed to provide solar powered irrigating equipment.

The First Lady also donated blankets, food hampers and toys for children in the community.

She said she would push for the rehabilitation of roads and also have some health institutions built in the area.

A team of doctors from her foundation, Angel of Hope Foundation also gave free medical assistance to the community with several villagers being tested for high blood pressure, diabetes and dental problems.

In her speech, the First Lady said her visit to the area was meant to improve the lives of the San people so that they don’t remain isolated but live a normal life like the rest of the country’s population.

“I have realised that clean drinking water is scarce in this area. I had to drill a borehole so that you get clean water in this community. I have seen your problems and when I go back I will ask for assistance from Government and well-wishers to have more boreholes drilled here. I was in Kanyemba at the border with Mozambique and we are helping them. That’s what I want to happen here,” said the First Lady.

She urged parents to acquire birth certificates for their children.

“It’s their right to have these documents to know their place of origin. The birth certificates also help our children to get employed and have the right to vote,” she said.

The First Lady through her Angel of Hope Foundation has been on a whirlwind tour of the country visiting disadvantaged communities rendering assistance to them. — @ richardmuponde