Muzvare Betty Makoni aged 45 (BA General, BA Honours (University of Zimbabwe), MSc in Social Work (Royal Holloway University, UK) and a Zimbabwean native and founder of Girl Child Network Worldwide has achieved so much in her lifetime. Newsweek (2011) named her as one of the 100 women who shake the world alongside Secretary Hillary Clinton. With 70 global awards, she is singled as the most awarded African woman globally. She was officially conferred the Title Muzvare- Her Royal Highness the Princess to Muzvare Betty Makoni for saving girls lives by Makoni Tribal Chiefs and people of Rusape, Manicaland, Zimbabwe.
Overcame childhood tragedies
At age 6, Muzvare Betty Makoni suffered sexual abuse She spent her childhood as child vendor in the high-density suburb of Chitungwiza in Zimbabwe. At age 9 she lost her mother in domestic violence.
Teacher turned passionate activist and Girls Empowerment model and first recipient of UN award
In 1998 as a teacher Muzvare Betty Makoni mobilised girls into a club and grew the network from 10 to over 350 000 over a decade. Over a decade, 70 000 girls sexually abused opened and got support. She went back into the poorest areas of Zimbabwe with a leadership and mentorship program that inspired, motivated and empowered over 350 000 girls in school based clubs.
Girls Empowerment villages and protecting girls from sexual violence
Muzvare Betty Makoni reclaimed and revived a place used by women and girls from the Royal Family of Makoni for 400 years ago. She built a Girls Empowerment Village at the Princesses shrine to offer shelter to sexually abused girls. Four other girls’ empowerment villages were also set up.
Fundraised millions to save lives of vulnerable girls
Through her relentless efforts to bring funding to girls, she fundraised over US$3 million over the decade which supported over 5000 girls to complete their education and empowerment programmes.
Leadership development support for grassroots leaders
Muzvare Betty Makoni has assisted over 20 women leaders in Zimbabwe, UK and worldwide to set up charities and helped with free training and mentorship at early stages of formation of organisations.
Featured in award winning documentaries and books
Muzvare Betty Makoni has been featured as the main subject by the US Hollywood Director Michealene Risley award winning documentary called Tapestries of Hope shown on USA`s major channels like HBO. The most recent documentary film on BBC in UK was on Female Genital Mutilation Type 4.
Strategic thinker and planner for global causes
Muzvare Betty Makoni`s life was spent advocating to shape policies and strategies of other big organisations like Oxfam Novib, UNAIDS and Restored UK as a Founding Trustee.
UK gender expert and Campaigned against rape as a weapon of war
Based on her good work on rape as a weapon of war, in 2012, Muzvare Betty Makoni was one of the first to be selected to the team of experts for Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI). She campaigned and advocated to leaders of G8 and diplomatic missions based in London on the need to support initiatives to prevent rape as a weapon of war.
Honoured with over 70 global awards
To her name are 70 global awards from the most Prestigious organisations in the world making her the most awarded African women where with the Decade Global Child Rights hero she became one of the honorary winners alongside the late President Nelson Mandela. CNN, Dalai Lama, World Childrens Prize and My Heros Project awarded Muzvare Betty Makoni as a hero.
Muzvare Betty Makoni`s inspirational book
Muzvare Betty Makoni is a published author of a poetry book, “A woman, once a Girl: Breaking Silence.” Her official Autobiography is called Never Again, not on any woman or girl again
Girls Empowerment and Education Fund in UK
After migrating to the UK, Muzvare Betty Makoni founded the Girl Child Network Worldwide in 2009 which is registered as an international development organisation in the UK and supporting girls in Africa.
Professional development and work for children in UK and worldwide
Muzvare Betty Makoni recently completed her Master in Science in Social Work Degree at Royal Holloway University in 2016.
Family and being a foster parent
Muzvare Betty Makoni is a mother, wife, aunt, private fostering and thriving family.
She is married to Engineer Irvine Nyamapfene and both have privately fostered over 16 disadvantaged She is a mother of two biological sons and one foster son.