Story by Tamuka Charakupa, Mashonaland West Bureau Chief
THOUSANDS continue to benefit from the 575 toll free platform introduced by the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa as part of her efforts towards assisting the vulnerable.
Among the latest success stories is 19-year-old Nelson Mwanza, an orphan from Mutorashanga, who has secured employment through the intervention of the Angel of Hope Foundation.
In the heart of Zimbabwe’s bustling townships, where survival is a daily hustle, a quiet transformation is taking place for Mwanza who once thought life had nothing more to offer and lives alone in the compound quarters of ZIMASCO Mine.
An orphan since the age of 16, Mwanza’s journey has been one of hardship, resilience and now, unexpected hope.
“Both my parents died. My father was the first to die when I was very young then my mother in 2022 when I was 16, for a while, I stayed with my only elder brother who then moved out of town when he married. Since then I have been on my own. I used to do piece jobs to survive, sometimes going to sleep without food,” he said.
With no guardians, Nelson became both a child and a man, too young for the burdens he bore.
But on one fateful day, he gambled his luck and dialled the 575 hot-line, a platform introduced by the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and operated through her humanitarian arm, the Angel of Hope Foundation, which is meant to assist the vulnerable and offer counselling services to those in need.
“One day I got information that there is a platform called 575 which assists people like me. I took my chances and dialled the number. After a few days, I received good news, a job placement offer. I am now working as a dispatch assistant and this coming month I will be receiving my first salary. I am excited and cannot wait,” he said.
The news was met with excitement by a family friend Mrs Florence Madzivanzira and her son Ngoni Madzivanzira, who have been a pillar of strength for Nelson since the death of his mother.
“I was touched by the way Nelson lived. After his brother Evidence left him alone, I took him in as my own son. I am happy that he called the 575 hotline which is now transforming his life,” she said.
“We have since formed a dance group together with my friend which keeps use busy and continues to drive us from illicit behaviours like engaging in drug and substance abuse. Again, we thank Amai Mnangagwa for changing my friend’s life,” friend, Ngoni said.
The First Lady, through her humanitarian arm, the Angel of Hope Foundation, has introduced various community empowerment schemes which tackle social ills such as gender-based violence and child abuse, among others.
For Nelson Mwanza, a simple phone call to the 575 hotline ignited a spark and now, from the ashes of loss, a new life has begun to rise.
