First Lady’s Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba goes international
. . . Foreign delegates attend programme
FIRST Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme has charmed young people from across the world after she took the programme to the National Junior Councils’ Annual Conference where she counselled youth to stay true to their values.
The National Junior Councils Association of Zimbabwe held its 9th National Junior Councillors’ Conference in Victoria Falls last week.
For the first time, the conference attracted international delegates from South Korea, Namibia and Zambia who marvelled at the work that the mother of the nation is doing.
In particular, young people were elated by how Dr Mnangagwa is grounded in the country’s traditional norms and values and her vision for the future that is guided by active participation of all ages.
Upon arrival at the venue, Amai Mnangagwa toured exhibition stands where men and women displayed various kinds of materials, artefacts and a variety of traditional foods and indigenous fruits.
She patiently visited all the stands and had brief chit-chat sessions with the exhibitors who explained how they were making their foodstuffs or materials, while she also explained to them how some of the items are made.
To spice up the event and show her support, the First Lady also bought some of the artefacts from some of the exhibitors.
After the tour, she went into ‘nhanga’ with the girls, including foreign delegates and some elderly women while boys went to their ‘gota’ where traditional chiefs and local elders took turns to teach them about cultural values and norms.
Boys and girls were taught various duties they are expected to undertake at home and how to conduct themselves to become responsible citizens who are morally upright.
There is a generational gap with regards to upholding of cultural values and morals, hence the First Lady’s intervention and educative teachings.
Some parents have neglected their parental duty of teaching cultural values to their children some of whom have resorted to drug and substance abuse and early indulgence in immoral behaviour.
The participants commended the First Lady for giving them hope in life, saying her programme should be taken to other countries to restore Pan-Africanism and identity.
“Today we had great teachings from Her Excellency, the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa,” said Fisabo Mapalo, junior mayor for Walvis Bay in Namibia who was representing her country.
“Her Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme is quite informative, especially the fact that she is bringing back and upholding the Zimbabwean culture and not letting Western culture take over.
“I would definitely want her to come to Namibia to implement this because I think it’s vital for each and everyone to know their heritage and where they are coming from so that when they go to Western countries they don’t throw away their culture in favour of new culture,” said the young leader.
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