It was a dream come true for more than 50 young women from
disadvantaged backgrounds who received certificates yesterday after undergoing
a special training programme in tourism and hospitality, courtesy of First Lady
Auxillia Mnangagwa.
The skills they received will empower and capacitate them
to be self-reliant.
Amai Mnangagwa facilitated the skills mentorship programme
through her charity organisation, Angel of Hope Foundation, whose main focus is
to uplift lives of disadvantaged children and other vulnerable members of
society.
For the success of the programme, Angel of Hope Foundation
partnered with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and National Parks.
The mentorship programme involved theoretical training in
various companies that included ZimParks, Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe
(CAAZ), Air Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), Wild Travel
Africa, Rainbow Towers and Holiday Inn, where the young women were exposed to
learning in the hospitality industry.
The young women, who were drawn from Harare, Bulawayo,
Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West provinces, could not hide their joy after
they received their certificates from the First Lady, who was accompanied by
Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira and
Women Affairs, Gender, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development
Minister Sithembiso Nyoni.
Addressing the graduates at State House, Amai Mnangagwa
said the initiative was in line with her foundation’s objective of empowering
girls and women from marginalised communities and investing in their
development.
“The mentorship programme is aimed at empowering young
women by exposing them to an opportunity they otherwise would not have had,”
she said.
“The mentees were taught the methods and procedures that
are fundamental in the successful running of the hospitality industry.
“They also participated in a hospitality and tourism
solutions dialogue hosted by Africa Works Institute which aimed at equipping
them with skills that would aid in securing job opportunities in different
sectors.
“This entire mentorship programme equipped the young women
with a set of transferable skills and some notable experience that make them
employable for the future jobs.”
The First Lady urged the graduates to continue improving
themselves academically to match the industry trends.
She said she had plans to expand the mentorship programmes
to include other industries such as industry and commerce, mining and
agriculture.
“I am appealing to companies that are involved in these
trades to allow us to mentor the vulnerable young women in their workplace,”
said the First Lady.
“Please think of these ladies when you have openings in
your organisations as our ultimate goal is that they find jobs or start their
own businesses.”
Amai Mnangagwa thanked organisations that took part in
training and mentoring the young women during the programme, adding that they
helped build their self-confidence, broadened their horizons and exposed them
to new experiences.
Among the graduands were orphans from children’s homes who
narrated their ordeals and thanked Amai Mnangagwa for the new lease of life.
Buhle Moduma (19) said her mother abandoned her when she
was two months old and since then she has been staying at Khayelihle Children’s
Home.
“I am greatly humbled and wish to express my gratitude to
Amai for this opportunity. She has given us hope and indeed she is an Angel of
Hope,” she said.
“I passed my Ordinary Level and with this certificate I am
going to start hunting for a job. My wish is to further my studies. If I get a
job, I will use my salary to look for accommodation because now that I am over
18 years, I am supposed to leave the home and make room for others.”
Nyasha Moyo (20) said she lived on the streets of Bulawayo
for a long time following the death of her mother when she was eight years old.
She said the abuse she endured at the hands of her father
and stepmother forced her to flee home in Gweru and she ended up on the streets
of Bulawayo before she was taken to a home by a Good Samaritan.
“With this mentorship programme, my future is now bright,”
she said. “If it was not for Angel of Hope who gave me this opportunity, I
would not be where I am today.
“I am also supposed to leave the home and my prayer now is
to find a job so that I can fend for myself.”
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief operating officer Mr
Givemore Chidzidzi, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks)
director-general Mr Fulton Mangwanya and acting general manager Civil Aviation
Authority of Zimbabwe Mrs Margaret Mantiziba were some of those who gave an
overview of the training at the ceremony. Herald
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