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On May 19, the Chinese Embassy and Huawei donated some supplies to the Angel of Hope Foundation on the launch ceremony of the seeds for futures.
Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, the First Lady of Zimbabwe and patron of the Zimbabwe Seeds for the Future, Mrs.Wang, the wife of Chinese ambassador, counsellor for economic and trade cooperation, embassy of the people’s republic of china to Zimbabwe, Prof dr Amon Murwira, minister of higher and tertiary education, innovation, science and technology development, Dr. Jenfan Muswere, minister of information, communication technology, postal and courier services, attended the donation ceremony and delivered a speech. Both sides also witnessed the donation ceremony and the launch ceremony of Huawei’s Seeds for the Future Program in Zimbabwe in 2021.
The First Lady thanked the Chinese Embassy and Huawei for this great donation. The Chinese Embassy always supports the Angel of Hope Foundation. China always takes the difficulties of the Zimbabwean people at heart and provides a lot of practical assistance, which is very much in line with the needs of the Zimbabwean people and reflects the meticulous concern of the Chinese government, enterprises for the Zimbabwean people.
The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to Zimbabwe, and China has provided immediate assistance and generously provided new vaccines and anti-epidemic materials, saving the lives of countless Zimbabweans and vividly illustrating the traditional friendship between Zimbabwe and China. The first lady looks forward to continuing to work closely with the Chinese Embassy in the future to build a warm and loving society.
She said “I would like to thank the Chinese Embassy and Huawei for inviting me to the launch ceremony for seeds for the future 2021, with the aim of empowering and enlightening the youth of Zimbabwe. I am passionate about improving and promoting the youth of this nation. I am therefore delighted to be here today with people who share my enthusiasm for youth empowerment at this ceremony to launch the Zimbabwe Huawei seeds for the future 2021 Program.”
“Over the last three years that I have been honored to be part of this very important program, I have learnt that information and communications technologies (ICTS) are crucial growth engines for many different industries. Because the young generation is key in the transformation of our economy, we must look into training the youth in ICT and Human capital development for lasting expansion and progress in Zimbabwe. We live in a world of constant change and a world of competition and through most of these technologies we see today that everything is being done and concluded through virtual communication because of the covid-19 pandemic that the whole world never anticipated. ” said the first lady.
Mrs. Wang Wei, Wife of the Chinese Ambassador and Counsellor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to Zimbabwe lauded the Angel of Hope Foundation led by Mrs. Mnangagwa for initiating various empowerment projects and providing basic amenities to vulnerable and marginalised groups in different communities throughout Zimbabwe.
She cited the traditional meal cook-out competition, breakfast feeding program, grocery donations, and cultural programs by the First Lady as vehicles to make sure that Zimbabwean cultural norms and values strike a deep root.
“In addition to being a caring mother of Zimbabwe, you have also been a fearless fighter against the Covid-19 pandemic. As the nation’s Health and Child Care Ambassador, you are leading from the front by increasing awareness, giving out PPEs, being among the earliest to be vaccinated, and encouraging others to embrace the vaccination program. Your contribution to the well-being of ordinary Zimbabweans can never be overestimated.
“The Chinese Embassy is honored to have been part of your important advocacy work over the years by donating in cash and in-kind to the ordinary Zimbabweans. We thank you for giving us such a great platform to care for Zimbabweans in difficulties. And the Embassy is also taking the initiative to expand its own humanitarian programs. We spruced up orphanages, donated food hampers to children with disabilities, provided scholarships for university students, and handed out PPEs to schools.” Mrs. Wang Wei said “Chinese Embassy and Chinese-funded institutions, enterprises and overseas Chinese have long supported the work of the First Lady and the Angel of Hope Foundation, and have actively established and participated in charitable and social development projects to promote the learning and growth of local youth. Protecting vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, and the disabled have brought the hearts of the Chinese and Zimbabweans closer and closer.”
Chad Wei, Managing director of Huawei Technologies Zimbabwe private limited, introduced the origin of the Seeds for the Future Program. “Huawei Zimbabwe, as the strategic partner to the government of Zimbabwe in the ICT sector, we have operated in Zimbabwe for more than 22 years since 1999. In our culture we have a very famous proverb saying that when you drink the water from a well, don’t forget the people that dug it. We appreciate the continuous support from the Government of Zimbabwe and the Chinese Embassy. And it is also our premium target to be the main contributor to the long stand friendship between Zimbabwe and China. Huawei Zimbabwe is committed to serving the interest of the nation through our two main missions. The first one is to promote ICT industry and digital economy development in Zimbabwe with our advanced and cost-effective technology; the second is to make maximum contributions to the community and social development through our capacity building, skills transfer and CSR program.”
“The ‘Seeds for the Future’ is Huawei’s global flagship CSR program which was initiated in 2008. The program is to nurture ICT professionals, develop local ICT talent, enhance knowledge transfer, and promote a greater understanding of the ICT sector among the youth in the countries where we operate. It offers undergraduate students cutting-edge ICT training and Chinese cultural experience. Huawei Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd runs the Zimbabwe Seeds for the Future program in partnership with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education. Since the Seeds for the Zimbabwe Future program was launched in 2015, Huawei, the Ministry, and local universities have worked together to provide the training opportunity to over 50 Zimbabwean undergraduate students. This is an invaluable addition to their CV when they are looking for a job after graduation.” He said.
After this event, the friendship between China and Zimbabwe will become much stronger than ever and it is hoped that with the leadership of Huawei and local ICT enterprises, we will have more ICT talent in Zimbabwe.