First Lady engages PWDS in cookout
WOMEN with disabilities have expressed gratitude to First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa for incorporating them in her traditional meal cookout competition designed to ensure people embrace traditional dishes and how to prepare them.
Describing the First Lady as Godsent, the women said they had grown accustomed to being looked down upon and being regarded as useless.
Among the disabled women was visually-impaired, Mrs Sithabisile Mhlanga, who competently prepared many innovative dishes and explained that she relied on sounds and smell when in the kitchen.
This comes as women called for the introduction of gastronomy tourism in the country in which, for a chosen week or month, people will have a chance to taste traditional dishes prepared in different parts of the country.
Yesterday’s competition, which was held at the United College of Education, was unique as it included the participants with various disabilities who all sang praises to the First Lady for accommodating them.
Mouth-watering dishes were prepared to showcase what can be done to make traditional dishes more appealing.
One of the participants, Ms Courage Chipatiso, who has muscular dystrophy, said the competition had helped boost her morale and proved she could prepare dishes like any other women out there.
“It is my first time to be invited to such a programme. As women with disabilities, it is rare to be invited to such competitions and in this competition Amai is encouraging us to learn how to prepare healthy meals.
“I have learnt a lot from the kindhearted women I worked with from other districts. The programme united us,” she said.
“People in the communities look down upon us because historically, people considered us useless, but the First Lady does not discriminate. She is kind-hearted and we thank her because I would not have taken part in such a programme were it not for her.”
Ms Chipatiso came up with a number of interesting dishes which showed innovation.
“I cooked many dishes like millet sadza to be served with mazondo, madora with chilli, mixed dried vegetables and dried mushrooms with peanut butter. I also have chakada with peanut butter and round nuts. I did roast groundnuts and pumpkin seeds and those of water melons mixed with butternut seeds. I roasted and salted them to come up with a three-seed snack.
“I also did mufushwa combo which is a combination of three dried vegetables — munyemba, nyevhe and tsine. I prepared this with cream and I did not use oil and other things that are harmful, but those that build our bodies,” she said with happiness written all over her face.
Ms Chipatiso urged other disabled persons not to look down upon themselves because they have capacity to do wonders if granted an opportunity to prove themselves.
“I was working with my assistant who is deaf and unable to speak. We use sign language to communicate. It was an experience to remember because it was tough, but I succeeded to even work within the given time. Most functions, I do not perform on my own, but I need assistance to accomplish them because of my condition.”
Another participant, Mrs Vimbai Hove, who is also disabled, was ecstatic to have been allowed to take part in the traditional meal cookout competition.
“I have come with my colleague Anne Malinga and we are disabled. We have come to the First Lady’s cooking competition. She is the first mother in the country to recognise us as disabled persons.
“We are looked down upon as disabled persons, but we have done wonders today.
“We are thankful and wish she continues propping us up and accommodate us in various other programmes as people with disabilities.
“It is our first time to attend such a wonderful programme. People say we do not walk, we are blind and write us off.”
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