I thought best way to respond is to send a one size fits all letter to everyone as sometimes it is not possible to respond to every message I get.
Setting up Girl Child Network Worldwide took me and the great team I work with one year. Last year, I spent time sharing the strategy with four exceptional women leaders who want to empower girls in Zimbabwe, Uganda, Sierra Leone and South Africa. I gave everything I know with all my heart, the idea being to decentralize the work from me in a systematic and orderly way and let others lead girls directly in communities girls live. As you know working for girls is something I started long back when I was six years old when me and other girls went out to sell on the streets in the poor neighbourhood where I grew up and lived in Zimbabwe. The work has continued into my adult life and it has become part of me so much that I am a girls work addict .
My role as Chief Executive Officer of Girl Child Network Worldwide now is to fund raise for girls in Africa, speak about the great work going in Africa and groom more young women leaders to scale up our work in Africa, USA and UK.
I am a very happy woman for everything I set out to do is done and tell you what once you get focused and you have determination everything you want in life will be achieved. I told myself that despite whatever people may write and say I want this passion to empower girls to be my life time work, calling and everything that I am and so it is going according to how I wanted and want it to be. Just thinking if a woman like me would ever dream coming out of a classroom as a 23 year old teacher and just graduated from University and then telling myself that against all odds, harassments and stumbling blocks I will achieve my goal especially to see girls like me doing better . I have done exactly what I wanted to do set up Girl Child Network Worldwide and working now in a conducive environment free of harassment.
Now am at a stage where me and the team of dedicated people are pulling together resources into a Girls Empowerment Fund. We meet people donating daily and its coming up great-I am confident when fund is set up all calls I receive from girls for help will be attended to directly. It’s tough work but it will be done. When you have time please take some time to read this here http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/girl-empowerment-model-for-100000-girls-in-africa/
My family is great; my husband and three boys are just a gift in my life. I live in peace in the home and I get so much support from especially my husband who is my personal big donor at the moment. We live in a small and quiet town here in Essex and the life we lead is very simple and not as hectic as before. I give a lot of time to my boys when am not travelling for work like right now when they are on school break. I love how each one has grown to be mature, non violent ,caring and with a daily slogan, Girls and boys are equal. My boys are aged 16, 14 and 10 and am so happy they are so naturally bonded one would never tell one of them is adopted.
Besides formal work for girls, I do things I love most, speaking, writing poems, hanging out with my husband (we have slightest reason to hang out whenever we get slightest opportunity) and being at home with our boys, playing music, doing my hair and speaking on radio as well as keeping well with all you friends on Facebook and many social networks. As you all know I do a lot of coaching and mentoring of young women and so I have a Social Enterprise of my own Muzvare Betty Makoni Empowerment Initiative (www.muzvarebettymakoniei.co.uk) where I do work for my passion to develop others and at the same time pay for my survival as well as personally donating to Girl Child Network Worldwide. My book coming soon and which is being finalized by mama Jo anne and my Biographer is a special gift I want everyone to get. My story should make things better for everyone .
Except for those complaining I will never complain about my life as I have at least one meal per day and a roof over my head. That is more than enough for a normal human being like me to survive and lead a life I like.
My only worry are the millions of girls out there who are being married off, raped and out of school. As Chief Executive Officer of Girl Child Network Worldwide I commit more time to helping out and my next 40 years (if granted ) will be spent on bringing help to disadvantaged girls just like what happened to me when I was a poor ,tiny little girl whose life was never guaranteed but thanks to a Roman Catholic nun who allowed me to work for my school fees and remain in school. I am doing exactly what others did for me, a little act of kindness that changed my whole life. This is something I love doing –ploughing back.
Mind am one woman who is not perfect but guided with my seven principles one of which is do things with passion and determination I want girls to write one day on my grave that ,Here is a woman called Betty Makoni who tried. And yes no matter what comes on my way of work I don’t stop doing it, I don’t ask why something is happening that way , I always ask how to deal with challenge and move forward as life goes forward and never backwards
Next time you chat with me dear friends worry NOT about me at all as I have a roof over my head and I have basics I need. Please worry about the girls in Africa whose lives depend on me and am working to support. They have nothing to make their lives better at the moment. I want them to be like me. Donate to Girl Child Network Worldwide through Global Giving and Girl Effect whenever you can and trust this work is from my heart and next time I send an open letter I will share that its all happening http://www.globalgiving.org/donate/8801/girl-child-network-worldwide/reports
Please frequent our website on www.girlchildnetworkworldwide.org and help make us better .We need more and more constructive critics and thinkers.
I am someone in need of just a hello and wish for a good day only. I am always on my Sunday 6pm UK time Zimonline Radio show (www.zimonlineradio.com) to be with you. I come to Bulawayo24 blog and thanks to team at Bulawayo 24 who help us share our news and please sponsors help Bulawayo24 to keep news going.
Otherwise this is an open letter to say am grateful for who I am and am grateful I have work, family and at least a meal a day.
Yours friend
Betty
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