ORGANISERS of the Africa’s Father and Mother of the Year Awards say the overwhelming responses to the country’s inaugural edition last week has stimulated them to continue growing the event locally.

Established in 2019, the awards honours fathers on Father`s Day in June and mothers on Mother’s Day in May respectively across Africa.

The awards held under the theme Father to the Fatherless had two categories, the Community Father of the Year Award and Father of the Year Award.

Community Father of the Year Award is an honour for fathers who were nominated by the community as Best Community Fathers through the work that they do to improve the community. The work include, to charity, helping the less privileged and offering free service to the community.

On the other hand, the Father of the Year Award honours fathers who have contributed well in their family and fathers who have shown love to their family and friends.

Nominations for the awards were done by the wife, family members, relatives and friends.

Local businessman Washington Matiyenga received the Father of the Year award after his family nominated him as the best father of the year.

“I was so delighted to get nominated and later on win the Father of the Year award. I did not know I mean so much to my children,” Matiyenga told Standard Style.

“It fills every father’s heart to see his family being happy. I thank the awards organisers for starting this tradition to honour us as fathers. I hope the fathers out there will come to appreciate such an initiative as much as I do now.”

In another category, Alex Mashamhanda received the first Special Award as Community Father of the Year after the community’s nominations.

The Africa’s Father and Mother of the Year awards patron Mercy “Catwalk” Mushaninga said the awards honours fathers and mothers who are leaders of culture whose lives are dedicated to family, citizenship, charity, responsibility and reverence.

“For the Africa’s Father and Mother of the Year Awards, we invite families to nominate husband, wife, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, pastors, elders and uncles as best dads and moms in Africa.

“We have hosted these awards in Zambia, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana and this year we introduced them in Zimbabwe,” she said.

“As we organise the awards with partners in other African countries, we are planning to introduce these accolades in other African countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya.”

Mushaninga said the awards nominations are done by families and the community with the nominator being in a position to provide relevant information about the nominated father or mother.

“The objective of our program is to enhance the meaning of Father’s Day and Mother’s Day, hence encouraging fathers and mothers to play a role not only to their families, but in their communities at large,” she said.

“Our aim is to bring fathers together on Father’s Day and celebrate fatherhood as well as mothers on Mother’s Day to celebrate motherhood. Our mission is to also help orphans in different communities through donations and gifts.