Chiefs, communities embrace First Lady’s Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme Boys being taught by traditional chiefs how to make cooking sticks, cattle yokes, among other utensils used in Zimbabwean tradition and culture during the Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba session organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Mavhuradonha.

Tendai RupapaSenior Reporter 

Local Chiefs and other stakeholders in Mashonaland Central Province have fully embraced First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s educative Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba Programme to instill discipline and promote cultural values amid reports that primary school pupils in that area are engaging in sexual relations.

The chiefs, their spouses and the elderly on Friday last week presided over the programme in line with what they were taught by Dr Mnangagwa.

While boys were in the Gota with chiefs and elderly men from the community, girls were in the Nhanga where chiefs’ wives and elderly women took turns to impart wisdom in them.

Mrs Norah Nyarumwe, the wife to Chief Musana of Bindura said she was grateful for the First Lady’s intervention because most children in her area of jurisdiction had lost morals and gone wild. 

“We embraced the First Lady’s programme since its inception. The programme is very important if we are to have an upright society that will cherish and uphold its cultural values. We are grateful to Amai for her efforts to make sure that our children are brought up in a holy and respectful manner. 

“Children including even those in grade seven are eloping, vana vanga varasa hunhu and we saw it fit to gather our children in communities and teach them what we learnt from the First Lady when we were traveling with her around the country. We are happy for this programme and as Chiefs wives, we promise to carry it forward,” she said with optimism.

 Mrs Tendai Mafuta, the wife to Chief Makuni of Rushinga echoed the same sentiments.

Girls being taught how to use winnowing baskets, mortar and pestle to prepare grain for traditional meals during the Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba session organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Mavhuradonha. — Pictures: John Manzongo.

“We feel warm because of the programme brought by the First Lady. She is giving us knowledge in line with our children who are eloping at a tender age. Nowadays a Grade seven girl is being diagnosed with a sexually-transmitted infection.

“We shudder to think what is going on? As Chiefs wives, it is now our duty to constantly impact the knowledge and values that Amai has given us. We want a society where children respect their elders .Children must say no to drugs and other forms of moral negatives,” she said.

In the nhanga with the girls, Mrs Judith Hove said she was gratified by the programme which equipped children with knowledge which was essential for them to lead dignified lives.

“This programme gives knowledge to our sons and daughters. The First Lady did well to introduce this programme which shows vision because we expect these children to be our future leaders. The children of nowadays are stubborn and cannot be assigned duties, they are disrespectful to parents or elders in communities. 

“This was not the case in the olden days. You should shape your future and you can achieve this through education. Value your education and set good standards for your future, have the ability to choose between good and bad,” she said.

An elderly woman said now was the time to put heads together and raise children in a dignified manner.

“Some of the mischief in children is caused by us as parents because we do wrong things as children watch. Parents are fighting in the presence of children and what are we teaching them? Some mothers change boyfriends in full view of the children. We no longer have time with our children to teach them. When a child misbehaves we complain, but look first at the cause of the headache,” she said to applause.

One of the girls sought to know what to do when being sexually abused.

“If a child is being stressed by relatives and being sexually abused, how do we go about it since at home you are warned against telling anyone and the matter is swept under the carpet at family level. As a child I then fear going to the police. Our parents and relatives are letting us down. Children are being raped but the cases are going unreported,” she said.

In response, she was advised that in districts, communities, there were trained people who were set by Government through different ministries and departments, especially the Department of Social Welfare.

“You can report abuse to them and they can take you to the police and protect you. You can also confide in your teachers at school they can assist you as well.”

The girl raised her concerns amid disturbing reports that community caregivers had to rescue a five-year-old girl from an abusive stepmother who routinely hired men to rape the minor while her father was away.

The children were also advised to make use of the 575 toll free line in the First Lady’s office to report any forms of abuse.

Boys being taught traditional values and culture by traditional chiefs and other elders during the Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba session organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Mavhuradonha.

The girls were also taught about menstrual hygiene and the dangers of having sexual relationships at tender ages.

They were given reusable sanitary pads by the First Lady which she is sewing through her Angel of Hope Foundation.

In the Gota, chiefs presided over the teachings to inculcate good morals in children.

Mr Elias Kutadzaushe, who is Chief Chiweshe said he was gratified by the gathering and teachings from the First Lady which they imparted to the children. 

“I am gratified by the gathering of the youths here a sign that they are eager to learn, especially because this programme has come to the areas of jurisdiction of chiefs with the aim of correcting children’s behaviour. This is pleasing us because it dovetails with the aim of achieving good morals in the country. We are happy that the First Lady is concerned with the future of these children. In the gota we taught boys what was expected of them,” he said.

Chief Chiweshe said they taught the boys on how to relate with others and what is done on reaching marrying age. 

“We told them that boys are taught and imparted with life skills in the Gota. We discussed the need for health and the body changes they face when growing up. As a man a boy must know how to plough, look for firewood and be free to be sent on errands. We emphasised that someone must not just get married without telling his parents and without a house where the wife will stay.”

The chief said he also spoke candidly against drug abuse and urged the boys to be well behaved and dress properly.

The words were corroborated by Mr Godwin Mugomo, who is Chief Chisunga of Mbire.

“We are grateful for this programme and the work being done by Amai. This is a very important programme of teaching young people manners and ensuring they understand the good manners we followed during our time. This is a good programme as it teaches people to go back to tradition and it helps lower mischief in today’s youth,” he said.

Amai Mnangagwa voiced concern over the loss of morals among today’s youths.

“Our children have lost morals and are learning foreign cultures at the expense of our way of life. Another thing that has led to this is drug abuse among our children. We unveiled Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba programme to bring back our morals. If you see a mother rising to come here alone it means there is something troubling her heart. If we talk with the children we would have spoken about the future of our country which means children are important. Let us unite as parents, aunties and grandfathers to teach our morals to children. They hold the future of our country and families,” she said.

The mother of the nation said good girls make up their beds, sweep their rooms, fetch water and clean utensils.

“She must bath before preparing food for the family, practising hygiene. Children of nowadays just wake up and start looking for food without doing any work. They wait for their mothers and maids to do the work. Let us not spoil our children.

“On the other hand, the Gota is used to mould a father of the future, teach boys household chores. Some families struggle for relish and the garden even dries up in the presence of a boy. If we do not have time for our children teaching them chores and assigning them tasks, they start taking drugs and end up being ruining their lives. If we do not do that we lose our children. Today we are stuck with grandchildren, some whose totems we do not even know because of our girls who are sleeping around while intoxicated. Parents let us unite and help each other to counsel our children nekuti mwana ndewemunhu wese,” she said.

She encouraged children to treasure their education and listen to their elders.

Girls being taught traditional values and culture by traditional chiefs’ wives and other elderly women during the Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba session organised by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Mavhuradonha.

“Accept to be counselled even if one is neither your father nor mother. We grew up knowing that every mother is your mother and every father is your father. Today you are told that you are not my mother leave me alone. My children if you want a good life honour your parents and elders. With regards to drugs, you should personally reject this. Drugs are ruinous so run away with your life because your future is in your hands,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa said parents must have sound relations with their children and discuss what they would have done all day long while also knowing their friends and what they would have learnt at school.

Beneficiaries of the programme thanked the First Lady for her kind heart and efforts to build morally responsible and culturally conscious citizens.

“I am grateful for what Amai has done for us. We were growing up without a number of things that we are luckily learning through her Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba Programme. She has shown great love and we thank her for this,” said Elsie Mazengwa.

Also grateful was Panashe Mugano (16) who said the love shown by the First Lady was unparalleled and he now knows some things he did not know before.

“She has given us a valuable life lesson. Were it not for her I do not think that I would have come across such teachings. We were warned against taking drugs and already I can see their effects on people who take them. The chiefs told us to be respectful and to honour our parents which is critical in life. May God bless the First Lady for her undying love.”

The children were given school stationery while the chiefs, their wives and the elderly received food hampers and toiletries from the First Lady.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey