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Ivy Chiwaya
Feminism is a powerful advocate and major driver that promotes the rights of the girl child.

As a feminist, I believe that my self-esteem was nurtured by the high level of women emancipation and participation across many spheres of life in my independent nation Zimbabwe. I am happy with the status quo which has enabled the girl child to lead from the front.

I would like to thank the Angel of Hope Foundation spearheaded by the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, for working hand in hand with Government to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our First Lady has not only shown herself as a mother figure of great inspiration, but has also undoubtedly exhibited care as a mother of her nest. Amai Mnangagwa’s handiwork through her foundation has benefitted thousands of souls in the country.

The First Lady’s remarkable work was bare for all to see when parts of the country were ravaged by Cyclone Idai last year. The Angel of Hope Foundation donated a number of assorted goods to those affected in the provinces worst hit. Amai Mnangagwa also partnered with women from various churches and well-wishers in the “Poto neNdiro” campaign which also benefitted a number of people.

In her address while handing over the kitchen utensils in June last year, Amai Mnangagwa said after visits to the Cyclone Idai-hit areas, she was touched by the heart-rending reports of families that were left without anything to use even for cooking.

“After noticing that these people were in dire need of kitchen utensils, ndakaona kuti handingazvigone ndega (I realised I could not do it alone) and made a passionate plea to churches and they all heard my plea,” she said.

“The churches came together for a good cause and said Amai tinomira nemi (we will assist you). We then mobilised all these things. These women actually brought sacks of kitchen utensils carrying them on their heads to our meeting place. Vakatakura mikwende yese iyi, shuwa uku kubata kwaMwari (They contributed so much. This is surely God’s work).”

One inspirational act I did not see coming was when the First Lady managed to obtain a class one driver’s licence to inspire many girls to also take up opportunities as professional bus drivers.

Just as we thought she had done more than enough, her foundation again coordinated the distribution of 50 000 masks, 510 protective suits and 1 000 goggles received from different Chinese companies to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. The donations will go a long way in helping keep our frontline workers in the health sector protected.

In addition to all this, Amai Mnangagwa as a mother, donated a wheelchair and money for groceries to Mr Dexter Masango from Kwekwe in April.

The First Family, touring Amaveni suburb to assess compliance levels by citizens with Government’s directive for them to stay home and prevent the spread of coronavirus, came across Mr Masango (65) crawling along a dusty street.

Touched by that, the President’s entourage stopped for the First Family to disembark so that they speak to Mr Masango, a former teacher. They took his details and went back to their farm where they immediately dispatched a wheelchair for him to use.

We all have been encouraged to give through her selfless acts. Amai Mnangagwa has a vegetable garden situated at the back of her office which provides food to some individuals in a number of communities.

Furthermore, the Angel of Hope Foundation has travelled the length and breadth of Zimbabwe engaging in Covid-19 awareness and prevention programmes.

Driven by her passion to save lives in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic which has killed hundreds of thousands of people globally, Amai Mnangagwa and her teams from Angel of Hope Foundation recently descended on the Midlands Province to educate the elderly on ways to protect themselves from the pandemic.

She donated hand sanitisers, face masks, gloves, disinfectants and knapsack sprayers, to clinics across the district, as well as food hampers for the elderly.

The Angel of Hope Foundation patron visited Nevana Primary School in Gokwe North before proceeding to Tare Secondary School in Gokwe South, while her teams were in Gokwe Central, Gokwe Sesame, Gokwe Nembudziya, Kabuyuni and Chitekete areas.

The First Lady is the country’s health ambassador and she is undertaking the visits to provinces as she leads from the front in teaching people about the coronavirus. The visits come at a time when the elderly and other vulnerable members of the community had run out of food as a result of the ongoing lockdown.

The list of Amai’s great work through her foundation is ineffable. On behalf of the girl child, I would like to thank the First Lady again for a job well done.

Amai Mnangagwa is indeed a great mother who promotes love, unity and youth empowerment among her people.

Lastly, I would also like to extend gratitude to all the well-wishers who have partnered with the Angel of Hope Foundation. Tinotenda. Siyabonga.

 Ivy Chiwaya is a Lower Six pupil at Empandeni High School