First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa Donates Food Hampers to Women in Beitbridge

By Southerton Business Times | Beitbridge

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has donated food hampers and clothing material to dozens of women in Beitbridge, calling on communities to embrace Zimbabweans returning from neighbouring South Africa and help them reintegrate into society. The donations were handed over during a community outreach programme held at Ronnie's Sports Arena in Beitbridge on Tuesday, where the First Lady also encouraged residents to preserve Zimbabwean cultural values and promote peaceful coexistence.

Addressing beneficiaries, Dr Mnangagwa said the initiative was about more than providing material assistance, stressing the importance of unity, compassion and cultural identity.

"We are here not just for the donation, but we should learn our culture so we can co-exist in a peaceful and loving manner," she said.

The First Lady also urged Beitbridge residents to support Zimbabweans returning home, particularly those who have spent years working in South Africa, saying they should be welcomed and their skills harnessed for national development.

"We have brothers and sisters who have returned. Let's incorporate them into the system and utilise the skills they have acquired while in South Africa," she said.

Her remarks come as Zimbabwe continues to receive thousands of returning nationals through both voluntary and assisted repatriation programmes, with the Government encouraging communities to support their reintegration into the economy.

Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Albert Nguluvhe, commended the First Lady for bringing the outreach programme to the border town, describing Beitbridge as a strategic gateway that should benefit from national development initiatives.

"Beitbridge is a gateway to Africa, and it also deserves access to national programmes like these. It uplifts the lives of people here in Beitbridge," Nguluvhe said.

"We are grateful for the compassion that you have shown us here in Beitbridge."

Beitbridge is Zimbabwe's busiest border post and serves as the country's main trade and transport corridor linking Zimbabwe with South Africa and the wider Southern African region.

The town has also become a focal point for government programmes aimed at supporting returning migrants and vulnerable households. The donation programme forms part of the First Lady's ongoing nationwide philanthropic initiatives targeting women, children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups through food assistance, health promotion and livelihood support projects.

Community members who attended the event welcomed the donation, saying it would provide relief to vulnerable families facing economic challenges. The First Lady has in recent years led several empowerment and social welfare programmes across Zimbabwe under her Angel of Hope Foundation, focusing on nutrition, maternal health, education, agriculture and income-generating projects for women and youth.

Auxillia Mnangagwa