Children that were living and working on the streets of major cities before being committed to the Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children's Home in Chiredzi are involved in breathtaking projects that speak volumes about the mother of the nation's success in transforming lives.
Unlike in the past when the children spent time taking drugs and being involved in crimes, including prostitution, the children are now productive and involved in projects like piggery, poultry, goat rearing, horticulture, carpentry and wielding courtesy of the First Lady who initiated the projects, gave them inputs and they have now flourished.
Some of the children were enrolled in surrounding schools with some of them being taken in by boarding schools in Masvingo while others are at vocational training centres where they are doing exceptionally well with high hopes of excelling in the future.
According to their care mothers, the children know the time to study, to mind livestock and to do gardening.
Thriving butternut crop being produced by former street kids who are now housed at Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children's Home in Chiredzi.
Amai Mnangagwa is on record saying they were also inculcating in the children the importance of using one's hands to earn a living.
"We are teaching our children to use their hands. They are doing various projects like gardening, piggery and goat rearing. They know the time to balance their school studies and looking after their projects," she said.
Well-manicured gardens that are free of weeds and are tended by the children with the support of social workers welcome visitors to the institution.
The thriving gardening project is pregnant with butternuts, tomatoes, green mealies, vegetables among others.
The garden is watered using the solar-powered boreholes that were sunk through the First Lady's efforts.
In conformity with Amai Mnangagwa's hands-on approach, nearly all children at the home are actively involved in the projects.
The pig and goats units now need expansion since the animals have multiplied.
Pigs being reared by children at Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children's Home.
Also the orchard is flourishing with different types of fruits.
Dr Mnangagwa through her Angel of Hope Foundation mobilised resources to transform the home. Together with the Foundation's partners including local authorities, the business community and individuals, the First Lady gave the home a major face lift, modernising it to international standards.
As part of the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) which is one of the Angel of Hope Foundation's working partners, the City of Harare councillors and members of staff recently went on a familiarisation tour of the children's home and were impressed by the thriving projects being run by the children under the guidance of the First Lady.
The garden is watered using the solar-powered boreholes that were sunk through the First Lady's efforts.
Some of the Urban councils adopted houses which they renovated and furnished so that the children have a home setup.
Each house has a mother, who the First Lady said must have Bible studies and prayers everyday with the children so that they grow up as God-fearing people.
Bedrooms are furnished with beds and fitted wardrobes while the sitting rooms are adorned with television sets and sofas.
The kitchen has electric stoves, fitted cupboards while all rooms are tiled.
The houses are well-painted and individually fenced, enhancing security and ambience at the centre.
Recently a guest who visited the home thanked the First Lady saying; "Amai you have shown us that all children are important.
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"You are non-partisan and you are teaching us love and unity. The support you have given to the home is overwhelming. You took children from the dust, bathed them and taught us that a child is important and belongs to everyone. When we first came here, these houses neither had doors nor windows.
They were full of termites and it was feared they would fall, but today this is a different story altogether. You have demonstrated love and humility Amai," he said.
The thriving gardening project is pregnant with butternuts, tomatoes, green mealies, vegetables among others.
Formerly known as Chambuta Children's Home, it was renamed to Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children's Home, following a request by UCAZ to honour the First Lady's efforts to ensure that the home best reflects its mission of providing a safe and nurturing environment for children in need.
