Girl Child founder wanted for financial irregularities

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Wonder Guchu 14 November, 2009 02:45:00

Betty Makoni

Girl Child Network World director and founder Betty Makoni who has been nominated for the CNN Hero of the Year is being sought by Oxfam Novib to explain financial maladministration.

Oxfam Novib has been GCN's major funders of nine years.

Makoni who has resurfaced in the United Kingdom after 'fleeing' Zimbabwe for Botswana last year is currently claiming to be sourcing funds for Taremeredzwa Nomatter Mapungwana who has a life-threatening tumour and needed funds to fly to the UK for an op.

In a letter addressed to the Oxfam Novib headquarters in the Netherlands dated 23 September 2009, Ger Roebeling the Interim Regional Manager for Southern Africa says Makoni is not responding to emails written to her in connection with financial maladministration.

Roebeling states that GCN is not being run properly and that for some time, they had doubts on the way Makoni managed funds.

"Also of concern for at least a year has been the fact that we were having doubts about the financial performance of GCN and lack of verification of expenditures. Our concern became reality after the sudden resignation of the Financial manager in December 2008 and the observations indicated by the auditor in the financial statements 2008."

Early this year, Makoni requested to clarify the financial situation and give additional information but she did not.

"Unfortunately," Roebeling wrote, "we never received satisfactory response. Therefore, we decided to start an external system review and expenditures verification and out our transfers on hold."

GCN financial team then met Oxfam Novib financial manager in May 2009 where they agreed to co-operate with the verification.

Oxfam Novib commissioned KPMG Services Ltd to undertake the external systems review and expenditures verification.

Makoni and her board were notified of the process which should have started in August 2009 but neither Makoni nor the board responded.

"We requested KPMG to contact them directly to plan for this exercise. It seems, however, that the founder/ director of GCN and the (very weak) Board of GCN and the remaining acting director of GCN in Zimbabwe are not co-operating with KPMG," he said.

KPMG was then requested to plan for a final meeting on 18 September 2009 but GCN financial managers did not attend.

"At the moment, there is a decisive constraint on our relationship with the founder/ director who is not replying to our emails."

The Oxfam Novib contract ended in September 2009.

"We regret to have to end the relationship with GCN after approximately 8-9 years especially with regard to the thousands of girls they stand for but under the circumstances it would be irresponsible as a donor to go on funding them," the letter said.

Makoni has been campagning for the CNN Hero of the Year award using Taremeredzwa's name.

Although she has claimed that she was at the forefront of fund-raising for the girl's operation, artsinitiates reliably understands that wellwishers in Zimbabwe raised $22,000 and Air Zimbabwe provided tickets to enable Taremeredzwa to fly to the UK where Makoni bought into her case.

Some of the organisations that put in money are Econet $13,600; Stanbic Bank $5,000 and Bishop Trevor Manhanga's organisation that chipped in $3,600.

Taremeredzwa's operation needed about 10,000 pounds.

An investigation by artsinitiates also revealed that the so-called sanctuaries Makoni claimed to have built for the girls in Zimbabwe are deserted or are non-existent.

It has also emerged that Makoni treats GCN staff as children and there has been a huge staff turnover in the past two years.

Recently, Zimbabweans in the UK who were asked to help for free complained bitterly when Makoni told them that she would give all the donations to Taremeredzwa and that they would do the work for free.

Makoni has since changed her organisation to an international one called Girl Child Network World.

Comments (28 posted):

Betty Makoni on 04 November, 2009 12:47:08

Please note that I sit as a member of Oxfam Round table and as such I have not received this letter .I have made enquiries about this issue and noone in Oxfam Novib has come forth to explain .I must tell all those who know me and my work to ignore this letter .Girl Child Network Zimbabwe has had a new leadership in Zimbabwe since January 2008 when I left because my left was in danger just like Jestina Mukoko .I have every document to prove that this story is all cooked up and I am not there to be defensive for I know where it all started from .Oxfam Novib has a grant agreement with Girl Child Network in Zimbabwe and all issues of partnership have been discussed with Girl Child Network Zimbabwe .I have worked with Oxfam Novib as a partner as well as a member of the round table and I did this voluntarily .My work with Tare and all girls is there for everyone to see .I suggest anyone who has real issues with me contact me directly because everyone I have worked with at least benefitted a lot .I know what it is like to work in Zimbabwe and I know what it means to be a human rights defender . It is very healthy for an organisation to do evaluation and it is a right to explain how we do things and it is hoped anyone who wants to understand more will contact us .I am so happy I have 13 global awards and 2 local awards and all those especially CNN who made this announcement must have investigated all this and made an honest and objective assessment.Oxfam Novib is just an hour away from me and they have my contacts details and I wait to hear from them because I would not imagine them stooping so low to give secret agents private evaluation and audit reports that are not yet in the hands of the partner .Please feel free to contact me any time .I love working for girls and will not stop until my last breath . I know those abusing girls and women can use smear media campaigns and they try to use Oxfam Novib and other donors but at the end of the day Girl Child Network is a life line for girls whether you like it or not .Its a shame that most of them who post such articles do not even know where Girl Child Network is located in Zimbabwe even though they are Zimbabweans .I dont want a war with anyone on my work because that is not my mission and anyone who wants to know must email me on muzvare@gmail.com and my question why after CNN top ten heroes nomination .This leaves more questions than answers .Those of my fans voting please continue and our new director in Zimbabwe is the only one qualified to send out statements.Where on earth have you seen a donor issue out such a statement and can GCN issue out same statements .Oxfam Novib am so sure is s professional organisation and am so sure they will explain further.Oxfam Novib is in Holland and come once a year to Zimbabwe and even those who worked with me know exactly how I went out of my way to help.

Tike on 04 November, 2009 05:12:51

By all accounts, GCN appears to be a very good cause. I am sure a lot of good things were done over the years. However, Betty, you seem to be skirting round the issues raise by Oxfam Novib. Get to the point, respond to the issues and let us believe you. You seem to be more worried about the awards than the mission you had set out to achieve. You are trying to court sympathy by mentioning Jestina Mukoko. Remember, most of the readers of this article are much older and wiser than the girls you were looking after, and as such can easily tell what's true and that which is meant to malign you. We will always stand by that which is good. GCN should be rightfully reproached if things are not well. Let the facts speak for themselves. Prophets of doom will be exposed.

Michael Mhizha on 04 November, 2009 06:12:06

Well said Tike.I could not have said it any better.

fresh on 04 November, 2009 01:33:42

Betty, it's such a shame that you have chosen to take this route. The truth will always set you free, respond to Oxfam Novib issues not the Awards that you have, who knows how you got them. Was it achieved in the truth??????????????

Hele on 05 November, 2009 12:54:07

Dear Betty
I am one of those young people you have inspired in many ways with your work. GCN is an amasing network and is a very worthy cause. However just a word of advice for you as a 'leader of an organisation'. Your statements seem so full of the word 'I' sometimes it does seem that this whole charity is about 'you' rather than the girls you are out to help. Awards are a way of acknowledging your work, and I do not think you should be the person bragging about them. Instead you need to be putting your house in order, having been a leader for 10 years you should know that accusations like the above will be expected. You should be focusing more on training, empowering and delegating the GCN staff to be able to make professional statements and responses to such issues. If GCN and GCNW are dear to your heart, I suggest you reconsider your 'me me me' approach and allow the people you work with whether they are the girls or your staff to represent the organisation. The rant above may appear like you are on the defensive and is very unprofessional.
Wishing you the best with you launch of GCNW. I will supporting you all the way!!

beano on 05 November, 2009 08:51:13

Don't be taken in by this woman!
She is in this for herself, egotistical and dishonest,but she's already been found out, here in the UK, and is currently planning her exit to Canada.
You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time! She thinks she can bully people in the UK the same way she did in Zimbabwe. A word of advice Betty quit while you're still ahead and accept your mistakes with grace.

james on 05 November, 2009 12:33:09

My sixth sense tells me that this story is true.

tut tut on 07 November, 2009 01:16:48

ZIMBAVHA. UCHINYARAWO IWE!!!

fresh on 07 November, 2009 11:25:19

Beano, this is very true. She is definitely planning to head to Canada. She claims to be a hero in public eyes and yet she is a BIG BULLY. Its a shame that the staff in ZIM did put up with her out of desperation and she now wants to continue doing the same in the UK. SHAME ON HER!!!Charities commision and Social services need to be enlighted to this becoz she oesnt qualify at all to be working with the vulnerable girls/woman. A very big liar and a bully!!!!

bee on 07 November, 2009 11:39:17

Fresh and Beano keep it up, the truth will only set her free because God is watching from above. We really feel sorry for GCNW staff working with her because Im sure they have a story to tell particularly her co-founder. I bet she is on fire with this ME,ME,ME CONTROL FREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bee on 07 November, 2009 11:48:29

WHERE ARE THE TRUSTEES FOR THIS ORGANISATION???????????????THEY NEED TO ACT BEFORE WE ACTION ON THEIR BEHALF.

wonder guchu on 16 November, 2009 07:45:39

The issue betty is not about people not knowing where girl child centres are. it is about ill-treating workers. You recruited Ropafadzo mapimidze and kamurai mudzingwa with promises of money. what happened to them? it's sad that today you disown them. the letter you claim it's a fake is not from your donors. there is no mugabe link. dont make this issue a political one. own up.

former GCN employee on 17 November, 2009 08:16:48

I'm a former worker of GCN. It's not true that Ropafadzo and Kamurai were recruited on promises of money, GCN is a charity and not a handout centre. The two were recruited to do a job as specified in their work contracts but they were incompetent and after failing to deliver one of them ran away with property belonging to the organisation (vehichle, laptop, flash disk), itself a subject of legal processes. And now Ropafadzo is busy using her influence as a journalist to plant malicious stories about GCN in the media with the connivance of other unethical journalists like Wonder Guchu. GCN is helping thousands of girls in Zimbabwe and needs everyone's support.

King George on 17 November, 2009 11:26:15

Iwe former GCN employee stop behaving like a lunatic.What has Ropafadzo and Kamurai got to do with Oxfam Novid?Are they the ones who wrote the Oxfam Novid letter?Answer me.

myself on 18 November, 2009 12:43:10

Betty Just tell the truth and stop being on the defensive.if yu did not misuse funds then why are you not paving way for the auditors to come in...

former GCN employee on 18 November, 2009 04:33:14

Iwe King George who is the lunatic? I am responding to Wonder Guchu who showed his hidden agenda by writing a story critising Betty and then, believe it or not, commenting on his own story by mentioning that he is really pissed off on behalf of his friend Ropafadzo Mapimhidze. If an employee is mistreated by an organisation he/she has recourse to the Labour Act and the justice system, not peddling falsehoods painternet. We are told Oxfam Novib appointed KPMG (currently working) so why can't you all wait for their report to see if Betty is a real thief??? Why can't Oxfam yacho wait for their own audit report?

King George on 18 November, 2009 06:19:06

former GCN employee people have their brains wide open.Did Wonder Guchu write the Oxfam letter?Didn't Wonder Guchu just report on what was happening between GCN and Oxfam.Usaite sebenzi mhani.Asi makadya mari yacho mese kani kuGCN?Why wait for audit report when Oxfam Novid already complained.

wonder guchu on 18 November, 2009 08:09:32

when people resort to calling each other names it shows just how low they are. the issue is Oxfam Novib complained that GCN was not forthcoming with reports. that letter was written by an Oxfam Novib representative. I would like any one of those who think I am peddling lies to challenge the origins and authenticity of the letter. it's a shock that links to zanu-pf and mugabe were made are still being made. how absurd. does mugabe work for and with oxfam novib now? all in the name of destroying betty? i worked with ropafadzo. when she told me she was going to work for betty i cautioned her and told her what i had heard about GCN. i also cautioned several others who wanted to go to GCN. i had heard a lot of things about the organisation. so my investigation did not start with the letter. it's been ongoing. i have lots of information which am holding now for the right time. and no name calling will shake me. my conscience tells me am doing the right thing.

wonder guchu on 18 November, 2009 09:38:36

I want this former GCN employee to tell me who Don, Shawn, Tawanda and Boka are and what they did and why they were on GCN payroll and why they almost caused havoc when told kuti basa ravo rapera before betty relocated to Botswana?
Tell me why one of the GCN beneficiary was beaten and lost her teeth in waterfalls and what happened to that case?
Was Sonia who was recently fired as lazy as Ropafadzo and Kamurai too?
Who is Victor Chakuwamba and why was his contract not renewed?
What happened to Mercy Nyahuni, Victor's co-driver?
How many times did Victor visit Botswana?
What happened to the money raised from ActionAid for the protection of Fadzai Nyagwande, Rose Muzerengi, Lilian Gopoza and Ropafadzo whom Betty claimed were in danger?
How much money is Tracy, a lawyer hired on behalf of GCN earning from OSISA's funding?

wonder guchu on 19 November, 2009 02:41:46

Financial gazzette ran this story on 10 NOVEMBER 2008

NGOs abusing donated funds

By Nelson Chenga, Staff Reporter

A number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are abusing donated funds before projects are implemented, disadvantaging the intended beneficiaries in the process.

The National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations confirmed the disturbing trend describing it as a big issue, damaging the image of the civic society.

"It's a huge challenge because of the volatile economic environment given the many temptations in the value of the United States dollar," said the association's spokesman, Fambai Ngirande.
Recently, the United States-based Kellog Foundation, which bankrolled projects in southern Africa amounting to US$350 million since 1986, withheld funding after uncovering financial irregularities on some of its projects.

The Associated Press reported last week
that the Global Fund to Fight AIDS and other communicable diseases is demanding that Zimbabwe return millions of dollars in donations it says were misused.
The Fund says it wants US$7,3 million back from the $12.3 million it donated to Zimbabwe although David Parirenyatwa, the Health and Child Welfare Minister, professed ignorance over the missing funds.

Investigations by The Financial Gazette have unearthed questionable events at the Girl Child Network (GCN), led by Betty Makoni.

GCN senior management warned Makoni that delays in bankrolling some projects were threatening the survival of the organisation but the director ignored their advice before she relocated to Botswana in March claiming her life was in danger.
In one of the documents, a senior management team at GCN said,

"We note that the current non-implementation of programmes is a double-edged sword for GCN.We feel it is important not to abandon girls in this time of great need."

The team was reportedly dissolved for questioning Makoni's decisions while its proposed programme of action for this year was stuffed in the bottom drawer.

It is also alleged that school fees for hundreds of girl child beneficiaries under some of the donor-driven projects have not been paid for two whole terms.

This has prompted some GCN employees to agitate for donors to institute independent audits and to scrutinise the organisation's projects.

In e-mailed responses, Makoni dismissed
the enquiries as part of "a long standing campaign from unnamed quarters seeking to pillage what she has built. For all the questions you have we have supporting documents.You should see them for yourself lest your source exaggerated." wrote Makoni.

She said GCN was experiencing problems paying top-up fees because the donations were not catering for the impact of inflation on the country's schools. GCN insiders told The Financial Gazette that ever since Makoni relocated to Botswana, operations have slowly been grinding to a halt. Workers went without salaries for two months in March and April.

"There is no way to get you paid if the finance team has not done the books and followed up with funders. When all funders send in money we can use some to pay staff and some for programmes," Makoni informed GCN staff by e-mail.

The organisation's monitoring and evaluation grants checklist indicates that GCN major donors Stephen Lewis Foundation, Oxfam Novib, Rotary Club International, the US State department, the British Embassy and Canadian International Development Agency advanced thousands of US dollars to the organisation.

GCN spokesman, Kumbirai Mudzingwa refused to disclose the amount of funds funnelled for its projects over the phone.But according to the grants checklist made available by Makoni tabulating external funders and their contributions, GCN has had more than US$1 million advanced and pledged by donors for the period August 2007 and December 2009. The US State department advanced a US$152 000 grant to help fight child trafficking in Zimbabwe through awareness campaigns, training and rehabilitation of rescued girls for the period September 2007 to August this year.

Sources at GCN say the outreach programme never materialised because Makoni withheld funds from personnel on the ground.

No reports on the progress of the project have been made although the period over which the grant was supposed to have been used has since passed with not even one girl child trafficking victim on its records.

simon dengu on 19 November, 2009 03:00:18

Uhh Wonder you have data.Donor funds abusers should be exposed for what they are.Thanks.I ma not surprised because many Zims are fattening their bellies on donor funds.

fresh on 24 November, 2009 01:22:26

Wonder, you are full of good stuff man, why don't you sell your story to SOCIAL SERVICES in Essex where Betty is busy boasting herself thinking that no-one knows about all these hidden disasters. Did you here that she lost the CNN HEROES after hiring 100s of people to run the campain promising them huge salaries after winning.WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!

ndakaitei Boka on 11 February, 2010 03:01:54

Founder member syndrome is what has killed Girl Child Network. Betty can recruit the best people on earth and heaven but she will never appreciate them because any person that tries to bring new ideas is quashed and "killed" for good. Betty has destroyed many people's livelihoods, promising them nothing but hell at the smelly Chitungwiza offices. That woman should not be allowed near human beings as an employer...never ever.She has so many skeletons in her cupboards which if investigated would bring out the real picture of this woman. The problem is that she personalised the organisation and hence the downfall. Betty own up, accept your mistakes and make up with the people you have antagonise. you lost a very good finance person Steven Makuwa,and many others. You need to repent from your deeds and look up to better governance. You abused your power as director and founder of GCN. You unfortunatelty thought you would get awayu with "fraud" in UK, Varungu vakanaka vachakushandisa. Vakakusviopa unoita imbwa chaiyo. Thai is lesson number 1 for you Betty. Do not sacrifice your country for the love of the US. Saka urikufara kuchando ikoko? What happened to the girls you claimed to be helping? You betrayed the girls, your workers and your country. What a shame. Wonder Guchu thank u for giving insight to happenings at Girl Child Network

ndakaitei Boka on 11 February, 2010 03:10:27

All I can say is that chisingaperi chinoshura Betty Makoni. You reap what you sow. Betty bribed people, had people beaten and God knows what else she did. She is not the human rights defender she claims to be. She is an abuser of the worst order. I know so for I am a former Girl Child Network employee. i saw how she abused Chaikosa, Grace Gurira, Ntombizodwa Mvududu, Lucia Mbofana, Kamurayi Mudzingwa, Arthur Choga, and many others. Betty You Reap what you sow and indeed you shall reap until you say sorry to all your ex workers. You have to say sorry to all including your own PA lilian Gopoza who you used and abused emotionally. you will grind and burn in hell for the deeds you committed in zimbabwe. Say sorry before its too late.

M Gumbo on 11 February, 2010 10:00:59

Uuh If these facts are true all I can say is God help Zimbabwe otherwise Zimbabwe is becoming a land of crooks.

Deelon Royster on 20 February, 2010 08:17:53

All of Sub-Saharan Africa is off limits as far as any kind of investing, business, or charities. Fraud is the norm there and you can trust no one there, they are all crooks and con artist. The reality is if any business is done you have to set up your own trusted people on the ground, of coarse this is very expensive. The reason why there is little real development. Charities? Are you sending it for some benevolent purpose or cause? Just pick someone at random and send them money it is the same thing. Altruism does not exist in Africa.

Vuyo on 24 February, 2010 12:30:12

M Gumbo how can you expect Zim to be crook free when its led by crooks??

croft dzapasi on 11 June, 2011 11:06:10

have been trying to sift through the story, to try and come up with a balanced view so to speak. Wonder Guchu thank you for the story, it appears to be well researched and you name names which is good, Betty Makoni has chosen not to answer to the allegations insisting instead that her "work" is there for all to see. At the end of the day one of you (Wonder and Betty) is a LIAR!, let us remember that there is no smoke without fire as we wait for events to unfold and the truth is revealed!!!