First Lady gives special treat to orphans Amai Mnangagwa feeds breakfast to one of the children at Queen Elizabeth Children’s Home in Bulawayo yesterday

Tendai Rupapa in BULAWAYO
QUEEN Elizabeth Adventist Children’s Home here yesterday had a morning to remember after being paid a rare visit by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa who prepared breakfast and personally fed the children.

A hands-on person, the mother of the nation prepared tea with bread, fried and boiled eggs, baked beans, jam and margarine which she served and shared with the children. She also spoon-fed the little ones who could not eat on their own.

So delighted were children at the home that they sang, danced and recited Bible verses for the First Lady who also donated foodstuffs that included mealie meal, cooking oil, sugar, powdered milk, fresh milk, eggs, bread, tea bags, jam and margarine.

The First Lady, who has a passion for the welfare of the disadvantaged, expressed happiness for the warm welcome she received, saying children are a blessing.

“My grandchildren, I have come to be with you today, to share a meal and rejoice together with you. I want you all to be happy, smile and rejoice for this is the day the Lord has made. Jesus said let the children come to me. These children are a blessing and we brought them here on earth. Let us all look after them, it’s everyone’s responsibility and not mine alone. Let’s help each other to look after these blessings from above,” she said with happiness written all over her face.

Queen Elizabeth Adventist Children’s Home has 34 children under its care and the director Mrs Ellen Mfumu said they could have taken in more children were it not for space constraints.

“We are so grateful and honoured. We feel so humbled to have the First Lady come to visit us here. It’s an honour to us. We are just a small orphanage but we have been made to be so big today.

“The children that you see here have always been well supported by Amai. She has always been sending us foodstuffs and toiletries. May the lord bless her for all the good works that she is doing, especially looking after the disadvantaged which is what the bible requires,” she said.

Mrs Mfumu was full of praises for the work being done by the First Lady which she said dovetailed with what is contained in the holy scriptures. “The Bible talks about good works, good deeds and true religion is looking after the orphans and widows and this being an orphanage we are so happy because she is answering a call that is from the bible and we are thankful.”

Blue Star Logistics operations director Mr Gerald Zumbika, whose company is working with Angel of Hope Foundation to ease the plight of the vulnerable, said his company was committed to helping the needy.

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa serves breakfast to children at Queen Elizabeth Children’s Home in Bulawayo yesterday
(Pictures by John Manzongo)

“Blue Star Logistics has been involved in giving to the people around the community. When we started this company, it was not easy and we got help from other people to get to where we are.

“We will never forget where we came from, we will never forget where we are going and we were inspired by what Amai is doing through her Angel of Hope Foundation. Amai, we have seen you go all over the country helping those in need. This reminded us where we came from and we said let’s join and partner with Angel of Hope. We are positive that this is the beginning of bigger things to come,” he said.

Mr Zumbika said even when the First Lady was a Member of Parliament, she did a lot of work to uplift communities and that gave his company motivation to do more. “I would like to urge the business community to act as we have done in our small way and give back to the needy. These people have come from different backgrounds and they need the support from people that have the capability to look after them,” he said.

Amai Mnangagwa teaches girls how to grind millet the traditional way using grinding stone at Founders High School in Bulawayo yesterday

Mr Zumbika said his company would assist Angel of Hope Foundation for the whole year.

In her vote of thanks, Mrs Mfumu wished the First Lady and companies that gave a hand success and blessings.

“On this very special day of our mother’s visit to Queen Elizabeth I would like to say thank you. We feel so special and humbled by this rare gesture. The bible in the book of 1 James 27 describes what true religion is composed of and to Blue Star and Amai we are seeing pure religion which the bible says is undefiled before God.

“Blue Star, God is going to bless your company. When you have a home that is able to give, God blesses you with more. And when you continue partnering with our mother, great things are going to happen. We thank you heartily Amai for your love and kindness,” she said.

The breakfast feeding programme in homes which the First Lady launched recently in Matabeleland South at Gwanda Old People’s Home, will cascade to all the provinces to ensure their nutritional requirements are met.

The First Lady has already taken the programme to Matabeleland North where she spent the day with the elderly at Dete Old People’s Home.

There Amai Mnangagwa prepared a scrumptious breakfast and served them. At each home she is visiting; the First Lady donates an assortment of food items for continuity of the programme. Angel of Hope Foundation, whose vision is to uplift lives of disadvantaged children and other vulnerable members of society has seen many charity organisations benefiting from the First Lady’s benevolence.

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