Gwanda (New Ziana) -First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa on Wednesday urged young women and girls to empower themselves through education and desist from relying on hand outs from Non-Governmental Organisations as these always come at a price.

Addressing hundreds of young women and girls, the elderly and those with disabilities from across Matabeleland South province at the Gwanda District Club, Amai Mnangagwa said education was the key to success.

She said education was a tool for fighting poverty and for socio-economic development.

The Matabeleland South gathering was the fourth where Amai Mnangagwa met with beneficiaries of the training that the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) is offering in partnership with the Angel of Hope Foundation.

“I am happy to announce that ZOU proposed love to the Angel of Hope Foundation and we accepted the proposal, meaning that we are now in a marriage.

“Even if they decide to divorce us, we will refuse because this marriage is now a national cause.

“I therefore encourage everyone especially women and girls to say no to spoon feeding. The freebies you are receiving from the donor community (NGOs) are not for free, but they will always come along with a price,” she warned.

She added: “We are here today with ZOU to help you choose free short courses that will equip you with life skills which will go a long way in improving your livelihoods,” she said.

Short courses which ZOU is offering free in partnership with the Angel of Hope include horticulture, animal husbandry, sign language, counselling and manicure among others.

On Tuesday Amai Mnangagwa was in Lupane, Matabeleland North province where ZOU officials unpacked the various courses on offer and what was involved.

The programmes has also been launched in Harare and Bulawayo and will be taken to all the country’s provinces as the First Lady seeks to empower women and girls through open learning.

New Ziana