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Writes Marlvin Ngiza
The Chitungwiza-based youth-led movement, Teen Rescue Mission (TRM), has received a major boost following the donations made by the group known as Chinese Loving Mum this Wednesday.
The donations which were handed over by Penny Peng, accompanied by Wang Mei and Chen Ming, comprised 20 chairs, clothes and toys for the kids and have seen more than 30 beneficiaries, among them the youth, young single mothers, widows and the underprivileged.
In an interview with Spiked Online Media, Penny Peng vowed their commitment to better the lives of young people and the underprivileged by ensuring that they get adequate support for them to realise their full potential.
Speaking about the donations, Penny Peng revealed that they identified the essence of TRM’s agenda hence they decided to partner with the organisation towards eliminating substance abuse, crime and child marriages.
“We have known TRM for quite some time now and we have been working with them, assisting them with the poultry project as well. After we realised that TRM is doing good in teaching young people about positive living and guarding them against social ills, as Loving Mothers, we decided to partner with them.
“Today, we are excited to hand over some chairs to them. I believe that knowledge is power and I desire for young people, widows and single mothers to be educated about life skills. The chairs that we donated today will help the institution to conduct the lessons without a struggle and I vow to continue standing with TRM in saving the lives of the young people in Chitungwiza and areas around,” she said.
Speaking upon receiving the donation, TRM Director, Abraham Matuka, expressed gratitude saying that their work has been made easier and that the donation meant a lot to them in ensuring that the beneficiaries will get standard education
“I am grateful to the group of Loving Mum for remembering us today as TRM with some chairs which will add to the few that we have. It is a major boost and relief to our institution since we are bracing up for our classes scheduled to start next week.
“This means that we will be able to conduct our classes smoothly. I strongly believe that this centre will be a beacon of hope for many young people in Chitungwiza as we will be empowering them with some technical skills in our thrust of ending drug abuse, crime and teen pregnancy in the area,” he said.
Meanwhile, some of the beneficiaries who expressed their sentiments applauded the mutual relationship between TRM and the group Loving Mum saying that TRM Technical Centre is going to be the game changer in their lives
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Magaya, pinned her hopes on TRM for the transformation of young people’s lives in the community saying “The lives of young people will change. They will have something to do and they will not be involved in drugs. I am also happy because our young people will come to learn without additional transport costs since the centre is within our community.”
A Nyatsime resident, Mrs Mudanyanga, applauded the introduction of a technical centre at the institution saying that it will be an eraser of a bad record of teen pregnancy, drug abuse and crime that has been existing in Chitungwiza.
“It is so sad to have our young people involved in things that ruin their future. As for me, I have a daughter who was involved in teen pregnancy and was dumped but now I feel that her hope has been restored by TRM as she will be coming to learn some skills here so that she will be able to earn a living and support her child. I am very excited,” she said.
One of the youth, Thanile Machaya said “As young people we are grateful for this learning centre. As long we have something to do, we will not be trapped by social ills. I want to encourage my colleagues to make use of this centre to better their lives. It is a very good opportunity for personal development.”
TRM is set to open next week on the 8th of May with courses such as carpentry, welding, motor mechanics, hotel and catering, dressmaking and horticultural studies on offer.
The Chinese Loving Mum has been operating in Zimbabwe for 10 years and has to date, among others, opened an orphanage in Hatcliffe, Harare – a charity school. It is helping the underprivileged members of society by donating basic commodities and paying school fees through their centres.
In 2015, Chinese Loving Mum catered for over 70 children’s school fees at an orphanage in Karoi.