Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Tendai Rupapa, Senior Reporter
THERE were tears of joy and jubilant celebrations on Friday as 10 children from Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home received a heroes’ welcome at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport upon their return from Russia.
The children triumphed in an eight-team football tournament at the BRICS+ International Sport, Arts and Culture Festival in St Petersburg, proudly flying the Zimbabwean flag high.
The event, designed to promote peace, security and development through sports and culture, provided a platform for children from various institutions to interact and enhance their well-being.
At the airport, the children were welcomed by representatives of local authorities, ministries and members of the community, with the Harare Municipality brass band performing the song Titambire Mauya.
The music stirred an impromptu celebration, with everyone, including other travellers, joining the dance floor.
Adorned with medals symbolising their gallantry, the children walked with pride, their achievements shining brightly.
These young athletes, who once lived on the streets, owe their transformation to the efforts of First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.
Under her care, they were moved to a children’s home in Chiredzi, where they now receive shelter, education and opportunities to thrive.
Their success in Russia is a testament to her commitment to empowering vulnerable children and fostering their growth and development.
In Russia, they took part in an eight-team soccer tournament with their peers from the Russian Federation and Belarus, where they came out tops.
In addition to competing, the children experienced Russia’s rich cultural heritage through sightseeing, museum visits and cultural exchange programmes.
They even toured the Russian parliament and learned about the country’s history, including the creation of the first train in the 18th century.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Mr Nicholas Moyo heaped praises on the First Lady for believing in the children and according them an opportunity to shine at the world stage.
“It’s a celebration for Zimbabwe, of building confidence in our children,” he said.
“The background that these children that we are here to celebrate today coming from the BRICS are gains of young people. We all know they came from the streets, and the streets are not a home for anyone. The street does not define human beings, but the work that the First Lady has done to bring them together under Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s Children’s Home (formerly Chambuta) and we have seen them today — they have gone and conquered the world. The confidence, when you look at these kids, they are bubbling with confidence. The experience that they have had, the trophy that they have brought home goes a long way to show us that this programme on its own has transformed their lives. It’s building leaders for tomorrow; it’s building fathers for the next generation,” he said with pride.
The First Lady, Mr Moyo said, was building leaders and had made the children believe in themselves.
“The country gave the children a flag and they went out and raised it. I say to the children and the staff at the children’s home in Chiredzi, they are supporting a vision to grow a generation that is proud to be Zimbabwean and knowing what it is. It’s no longer about the street and we do not want to even be talking about the street; we are talking about children who have received the impartation not just from Amai only, but from visionaries and all the people who are supporting them. As a nation, we are seeing a new centre of sporting excellence from the home and, as a ministry, we are committed to ensuring that it becomes a school of excellence in terms of sports. We will go there to refurbish the multipurpose courts because we want the next big names in sports to come from Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home,” he said.
Equally happy was Mr Stanislaus Sanyangove, the provincial social development officer for Masvingo province, who accompanied the children.
He gave insights on the trip and tournament.
“We went with children from Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home to Russia after being sent by the First Lady. There was a sporting festival and a BRICS forum in Russia. There was a Five-A-Side football tournament, where we played teams from various federations from Russia and Belarus. There were eight teams that were competing. With children from Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Children’s Home, we reached the finals and lifted the trophy of the tournament. Apart from the soccer tournament, children learnt a lot of things, including cultural exchange programmes. The children also visited the Russian parliament and many museums where they learnt the Russian history and the first train that was made in the 18th century. In terms of discipline, the children behaved well, and we were treated well, and we came back with a trophy,” he said.
So happy were the children that they could be seen punching the air with excitement as they promised to take sport to a higher level.
Richard Musindo could not contain his joy.
“I am thankful to our mother, the First Lady, who made it possible for me to visit a country that I did not know, and we saw things that we had never seen before,” he said.
“I had never boarded a plane before, and I am grateful for the victory we got. It is through the First Lady’s vision that we are having such opportunities. I thank her heartily for the exposure she is giving us and the love she has. I was Man of the Match and won the golden boot award for my exploits on the field of play. When we left, the First Lady saw us off at the airport and told us to behave well and we did not disappoint her.”
Emmanuel Chiwara (14) expressed his deep appreciation for the First Lady.
“I wish to thank our mother for taking us out of the streets. She is also the one who made it possible for us to visit Russia, which we did not know. God did wonders for us, and we won a big trophy. I now dare (Mohamed) Salah (Liverpool) for a match, and I want to play for the Warriors one day. With the love and exposure we are getting through the First Lady, the sky is now the limit. I hope to continue doing well in sport and put into practice the good things we are learning through the First Lady and all the people supporting her vision,” he said.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Christopher Munyafi (14).
“I am thankful to Dr Mnangagwa for taking us from the mud and putting us at a beautiful place, unlike where we sniffed glue on the streets. I was able to board a plane, something that came to me as a surprise, and one day, I will play for the national team,” he said.
mbulelo smpofu
