By Staff Reporters
THE First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, came face-to-face with teenage mothers from the Doma community in Mbire a fortnight ago, an encounter that left her stressed.
The pain of motherhood saw her holding a mother- to-child discussion with teen mothers in Kanyemba recently, imploring them to be involved in income- generating projects and to go back to school to upgrade themselves and consequently their community.
It was a sorry sight seeing pregnant young girls from the Doma community aged below 18 years, while others were already breast-feeding.
Amai Mnangagwa sought to understand what prompted the children in this area to rush into relationships at the expense of their education.
It was an emotional encounter as the First Lady fought back tears while engaging with the teenage mothers.
“I have come to speak to you, vanangu, because I am pained by your ages, both those who have given birth and those who are expecting,” she said. “I have come to speak to you as a mother and seek to find out why you are rushing into marriage. Were you raped?”
Some of the teenage mother told the First Lady that they were raped, while others blamed it all on their parents for marrying them off against their wishes.
One of the teenage mothers said her challenges started while she was in Form One. She was dating an older person because she wanted to fund her craving for snacks.
“I fell in love while in Form One because the boyfriend would buy me jiggies (corn snacks) and biscuits while going to school until I fell pregnant when I was in Form Two. I then dropped out of school. We briefly stayed together until the child was six months old and then he vanished into Mozambique. I really want to go back to school, I have learnt my lesson,” she said in-between sobs.
Her story differed from that of her 17-year-old colleague, who said she was grateful for being taken through a detergent-making project under the First Lady’s Angel of Hope Foundation.
“I am thankful for the detergent-making project you have taught us so that I can fend for my children.
“I have three children because the man would force me to have children before he disappeared to Zambia. Life was unbearable for me without anything to offer the children, but with the project you have initiated for us, life will never be the same again,” she said.
The First Lady urged the teenage mothers to let bygones be bygones and focus on the future.
“I have come to uplift you as a mother. Focus on the future and let bygones be bygones. I want you to look after your children. I am glad most of you went through the detergents and petroleum jelly making project that I initiated here, which will help those who left school midway as you are now able to proceed with your studies.
“I have brought representatives of the Women’s Bank and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development so that they can teach you more about self-help projects. You may have lost the plot in the past, but let us focus on the future.
“I have also brought people from the Ministry of Health and Child Care to teach you family planning. I am happy you did not abort vanangu. I want you to form groups and advise me of projects you want to participate in specifically for you as teenage mothers and I will help you through Angel of Hope Foundation. Having children at a young age causes you health challenges like fistula. Work for yourselves and do not be impregnated for jiggies.”
The teenage expecting mothers were given baby kits for the babies they are expecting, baby blankets and toys, while those nursing babies were favoured with clothing for babies, blankets and toys.
According to statistics, rape and child marriage cases are rife in the province, especially in Mbire District.
The Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Senator Monica Mavhunga, once told the First Lady during her Gota/Nhanga programme at Chief Matsiwo’s homestead that census results showed that the province tops in child marriages.
“In the recent census, our province is on top on child marriages. Also in terms of having many children, our province is topping. We are grateful for the programme you have brought to teach our children who are rushing to get married at the expense of their education,” she said.
