Girl Child Network Worldwide Blog

Dear all

Warm greetings and a happy new year.

This email list for Tare has 208 supporters started on 8 August 2009 and many of those on this list joined Taremeredzwa Mapungwana face book and so its been easy for Tare to be empowered and having her own voice back to talk to you .Our concept of empowerment entails that we say less and she says more because at the end of the day if we speak on Tare`s behalf we take away her voice .Please continue to join Tare on her face book .I am sending attached updates on Tare because I can see a lot who attempted to report through various online newspapers lied about many issues .Even a film maker who has been documenting Tare since she arrived here is still in shock over what has been posted on the internet .He can testify on every effort put by GCNW .We are hoping so soon a documentary on Tare will be shown on television in England so that most of us who are far from where Tare lives can see what really went on for Tare up until her tumor was removed !

Please kindly pass on information on Tare which is accurate and sent after an assessment of current situation

If you have any queries please drop Tare an email

You may have read a lot in the past few days but I ask that we follow what am posting on my face book , GCN W blog and also many professional UK based charity newspapers that are working very hard to ensure Tare gets medical treatment right until she is up and running
We have one more step to go

One of the news papers that has helped Tare a lot is cited below

I have attached a final financial statement to show how your donations for the first operation were used .Please note that this statement is strictly showing funds donated through Girl Child Network Worldwide and IT IS NOT INCLUDING FUNDS donated to other agencies who were helping Tare .GCNW cannot account for any funds donated through other agencies and we do not have authority whatsoever to ask them to release their fnancial statements .GCNW strictly shows how funds which entered its trust fund account and pay pal were used

I must say our goal number was to have tumor removed and that was accomplished

We realise that during the operation a need for second operation came out and our job as GCNW is to continue helping

Please be advised that we have GCNW trustees cced here and other women and men speaking to media or any of our stakeholders do not have authority to do so because then they must be cleared by our trustees

Regards

Betty Makoni
CEO and Founder

Dear friends of Tare

I hope you are well and fine

Tare has started talking and eating slowly through her mouth . This is a big achievement .She is recovering slowly

Just today the doctor informed us that they have made a breakthrough in getting to what causes the tumor when they took some blood tests .This they must also deal with as a matter of urgency and so Tare will stay longer in the hospital and expected time to heal and get all reviews and treatments as well as teeth implants is 3 months or even more .I told Tare that we must all be patient and give doctors all time to do what they know best ….Please note that each day Tare is in hospital we pay 500 pounds

I can as well update you on our donations to date as attached on this excel sheet .Our bank statement at Llyods bank for Girl Child Network Trust Fund UK received £ 13 176.43 and this includes the Pay pal transfer .£ 3225 still is held in trust by O to be used for Nomatter and her mum`s accomodation .The funds are paid direct and are not in GCNW account .Also a church in London donated 2000 pounds for carers who help Mai Tare and all logistics .Today we waited for an updated bill from hospital and it never came .But the finance people I spoke to said it does not mean if deposit is done Tare can be sent home without treatment and so she will continue getting all the treatment and she will only come out when she is fully treated and shows she can be on her own

I have been touched personally by 11 year Annie Chatizemba who insisted she wanted to go see Tare and her parents gave in and took her .She then donated 5 pounds to Tare ,hugged her and wished her a speedy recovery ! Mr Oswold Tavengwa brought Tare two suitcases of clothes and he moved with the two suitcases in three change trains from Bedford .When he came to the hospital with all sweat flowing down him I just shed tears when later he said all clothes were for Tare .In another event Dandaro TV is supporting Pastor Forbes from Christ Ministries fundraise for Tare given her prolonged stay in hospital . My collegue Prisciallah will give a speech and give a more detailed update .A flier with details is attached

Otherwise I am off to Canada on 21 October 2009 for a week and Prisciallah will be with you .In case you want clarity on this email please call me

Please keep those donations flowing as the treatment for Tare will be prolonged and daily there are tests to check if the tumor is gone and whatever doctor Hutchison finds to be critical we must be supportive to Tare and her mum

I asked Tare if we could pose for a photo before I left and yes here is our photo

Bye everyone and Prisciallah is all yours for the week and please catch me online and as soon as next week I will take over and relieve Prisciallah
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS UPDATE DOES NOT REPRESENT ANY FUNDS RECEIVED BY OTHER AGENCIES . ALL UPDATES WE SEND OUT ARE BASED ON GCNW ACTIVITIES IN UK ONLY

Regards

Muzvare Betty Makoni

Dear all,

You can communicate directly with Tare on her e-mail: taremum@gmail.com, or sent the messages to me or Betty, we will forward them to her. As soon as she is online she will communicate directly with you all. Thanx for the support, together we will have Tare reach her dream and uplift other girls to reach theirs too.

Regards,
Talent (Tare’s brother)

Dear all
Most of you know that Tare is on her path to recovery and progress made so far is impressive .She has started on exercises and physiotherapists say she is an amazing girl as she does everything so fast and diligently .Dr Hutchison estimates Tare needs 3 months to fully recover and so this is in line with plan we have laid out On another note many of you might have seen what ZBC Newsnet has been highlighting and all the damaging coverage on our involvement on this matter. Email from brother to Tare below will give some insights but just to alert everyone that politicians are not kind to anyone and such simple charitable acts they want to stand on their way .Smear media campaign is a tool used for many of us against our activism and we get backlash because we speak truth and doing what we love in safe spaces .Since I came here or since Tare came here I have never seen a single politician or anyone involved in our work because its purely charitable . Please pass on message below and tell everyone that GCNW led by me will continue to support Tare to heal and moreso there are so many girls who need help and we will not stop doing what we know works best for girls because of politicians or any other people .Our organisation targets girls and so when Tare starts talking we will sit down and hear from her and so far I have sent updates to all of you about how we worked from UK and all those who worked on other campaigns on Tare must be responsible and report where such information is needed The three of us ,myself Prisciallah and mum to Tare have been harassed ,threatened and shouted at over the phone by Mr Dube and Reverend Manhanga and please know that amidst all this trouble we have a girl whose life is fully supported by us and for these men to do this is most irresponsible Please try to get us the word there because I dont have a broadcasting corporation or newspaper that will make everyone see what we have been going through but mark my words we wanted Tare to be here and get help and there is no way GCNW can seek any credit as such cases we always do.
Regards,
Betty

Dear Friends of Tare,
On behalf of Girl Child Network Worldwide and
Girl Child Network Zimbabwe I would like to inform you that
Professor Hutchison successfully and diligently removed two
tumors from Tare .The operation took more than six hours and
Tare suffered no facial cuts ,no excessive bleeding and no
major problem .Everything went on according to plan and hats
off to Prof H for a job well done !! This is one man
Zimbabweans must plan to meet one day .He talks less and
does a lot and in his own words ,`As long as my patient and
her mum are smiling I am happy`, and then he hugged Tare mum
and said a warm bye because he had to rush for a bath and
family as well as his cup of coffee!!!

My collegue Priscialla and I watched events
unfold since Friday and on Sartuday we followed Prof
Hutchison`s car to the theater and then we were allowed to
take her just three quarters to the theatre . Tears fell
down endlessly as we walked back to the ward just to sit
where her bed was .We were anxious for 8 hours and during
the day Rudo ,the woman who made a passionate plea to God on
Friday joined us .Later in the day, an entertainer called
Simple Dread and Lady Gee the DJ ,showed up with news that
entertainers had donated £1008,00 and every name was read
out to us and each message said out clear and those were the
best wishes Tare got from Zimbabwean DJs and musicians as
doctors made final stitches in her mouth .Two cameramen
supposedly making a documentary on Tare for UK mainstream
television stations came out with news that all was well and
everything would soon be over and the next time I called the
cameramen it was Professor Hutchison who answered the phone
and he said he was already with a cup of coffee while Tare
was in the recovery room.We broke into song , Hoyo
mushandiri waMwari and Hutchison inumber
one and most of you we sang for you over the
phone .In short, the tumor has been subdued and conquered
and it must have been shocked to death because I could
not see even its traces on Tare by at least today 2pm
Tare`s face is in shape now and of course many visiting
the hospital will see her mouth still wide open and her face
big and swollen and know you such a huge tumour left this
temporary physical harm but soon such these will follow
the tumors and disappear as well .
Now as GCNW we plan to monitor the recovery
period very closely and we have drawn up a rehabilitation
plan and Prisciallah and Nyasha as well as Ruth seniors in
GCN have been asked to review post operation plans in line
with what the doctors will advise us .It means we will be
very busy to support Tare emotionally so that she prepares
to be the great young woman she has always been

Otherwise Tare and her mum will be in hospital
until the 16th of October or even before . We have organised
a private retreat after discharge from hospital .After that
we hope to have Tare and her mum hosted by GCNW staff here
in England for what we call family and established
counseling so as to be fully integrated into community
but all this depends on what doctors and other medical
professionals advise .

GCNW will make sure all bills at the hospitals
are paid in full and a full set of accounts is presented to
Tare and her mum
I hope to take Tare through an empowerment
process and this is based on our Girl Child Empowerment
Model where we facilitate,instil and provide the means so
that Tare walks in the fullness of her potential as a doctor
This normally takes four weeks of coaching ,role modelling
and a few leadership practicals .This is when Tare will
start reaching out to some of you and ask you to join her on
her Facebook .We will not at this stage preempt what Tare
wants to do but when she is empowered she will announce what
she wants to do

Otherwise ,our team in Zimbabwe and UK and all
over the world now await Tare`s full recovery and we hope
very soon she will be on her facebook and phone to directly
say thank you

My friends without you we could not have achieved much and
thank you all and keep your generosity

As some of you heard I was selected top ten CNN
Hero because of my work back in Zimbabwe for Girls
empowerment and last week I whispered to a friend that I am
too embarrassed to ask People to vote for me when Tare is
victim to this tumor but now its done and soon mission will
soon be accomplished the vote can go ahead !!!!!!! Go to CNN.com/Heroes to vote.

This must be my last email to this group but
wait as I will send you new look Tare after a week or so
because after such a major operation one hopes everything
shapes after sometime

Otherwise you are great a people and thanks so
much for reaching out to Tare
Prisciallah Nyathi my work partner will be in
touch with you very soon because we are hoping to have
Tare`s party and please email her for ideas

Regards
Muzvare(HRH) Betty
Makoni

Dear friends of Tare

Tare is in hospital now and she has seen her doctor who offered to operate on her for free .We only paid for hospital fees and other surgeons and services .We will know how much all this exactly costs after the treatment .

My collegue Prisciallah and I spent the last two days with the medical team who are going to help Tare .We are all impressed with their determination to help.Personally I feel Tare is in safe hands and all we must do is to support Tare and mum during the whole process .Admittedly her condition was let to deteriorate but it looks the team work we saw at the hospital will go a long way in helping Tare .I have faith and hope !!! I am also very angry and disappointed with how her referral was handled in Zimbabwe and South Africa and then how bureaucracy delayed a trip to a doctor who had offered to help .

Today we announced that after doctors did an assessment on Tare she was admitted into hospital a week earlier than we planned and for each day Tare is in hospital the charge is 500 pounds .Also the scan has revealed more information and it is now certain that the doctor may take more time to prepare Tare for operation as well as do a lot after the operation .No date has been given for the operation but it looks the doctor and his team plan to move swiftly .

Tare is appealing for more donations given the latest developments and there is no doubt that treatment will need more time and resources and so this end we have put a donation box in case some of you want to donate directly to Tare.Also Girl Child Network Worldwide has made a decision to accept donations from 5 October 2009 and please visit www.girchildnetworkworldwide.org for how best you can donate .

Some of you called and wanted to visit Tare and she is in Royal London Hospital,White Chapel Street ,E1 1BB ,4th Floor AW4 ,Room 23 . Please note that only two people at a time are allowed in the room and there is need to coordinate the visits .Cameras are not allowed .Journalists who want to cover Tare must contact the hospital Press office and make direct arrangements

I have attached some photo updates and after we gave Tare and her mum all the pay pal statements and all cheque photocopies Tare took a pen and wrote a letter to you all .I will scan and send it to you .She was saying thank you all .Payments for some costs has commenced and an accounting system is now in place to monitor use of funds and start disbursements to cover some medical costs

After talking to mum to Tare and having listened to their story I felt anger and sat down to write a poem like I always do .The poem attacked and pasted below here and entitled Shame on them all was written by me
Tare is in this condition because some people cared less .. when I just reflected on everything I saw and heard since Tare arrived here its a big shame on them all

(Dedicated to Taremeredzwa Nomatter Mapungwana and other children who are struggling to have health and education in Zimbabwe and world over )

Oh Shame, and a big shame on them all

Them and those and these ones

Who demanded cash and not life

Who demanded cash from a cashles girl

To a life so tattered by a tumour, so aggressively moving

Tare a girl so totally talented, once in tact

Shame on them and those and these ones

Them who demanded a devilish two hundred and fifty green papers

Not two hundred fifty lives

Those who billed a cashless teacher

Two hundred and fifty fold than her earnings

Shame on them leaders who quarell for a decade

Not over health for children ,not their education

Those who bicker ,bully and baffle the poor children

Those and these ones who feed their overfed stomachs

Who overdose their health and underdose the poor children

Shame on them and shame ,shame ,shame !!!!!!!

Shame on you and you and you and all of you

Who denied freedom to move and to manoeuvre

Denied even a reappeal and plea to life

That one appeal to save that one life

The life known is granted once

Shame on you who denied and delayed whatever reasons

Shame on those heaps and heaps of paper that deny saving lives

Shame on those offices and those chairs

Shame on those printers that printed the denial !!!!!

Salutation to those surgeons who from afar hear the cry

Salutation one after another to this our one surgeon

Who with generosity of heart give a life and not a bill

Who with no bill make double bill unto himself

Ordinary citizens doing extraordinary service to non citizens

Salutation to those who from their two pounds send fifty pence

Those who qued and transferred to unknown

Those who moneygrammed whatever gramme

Those who by pay pal made Tare their pal

Those who chequered a life and signatured it

Salutation one after another

Salutation to those who with their feet walk for a life

Salutation newsmakers who make news to save a life

Dancers and DJs who entertain to save a life

Airline that airlifted and abled this

Salutation to these and those

Trusted in their Trusts of Deeds with these funds

Who take them all and leave no dime for self

Those who twenty four seven work for life saving dime

But shame on them all

Shame on this one and that one

Shame on these ones and those ones

Shame on him and her

Shame on them who witnessed the shame and chose not to say

Shame and a big shame too on them all !!!!!!

This poem was written by Hazviperi Betty Makoni and dedicated to Taremeredzwa Nomatter Mapungwana ,a girl who has fought for five years to stem out a tumour that so aggressively has conquered her life