For Immediate Release: September 1, 2009

THE OFFICIAL UK LAUNCH OF GIRL CHILD NETWORK WORLDWIDE

www.girlchildnetworkworldwide.org

On Friday, 4th of September 2009, at 3.00pm – 7pm at The Essex County Hotel, Aviation Way, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS2 6UN.

CNN SELECTS BETTY MAKONI as HERO. The FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF GIRL CHILD NETWORK WORLDWIDE, Betty Makoni, was a victim of childhood domestic and sexual abuse in her home village in Zimbabwe. She was raped by a shopkeeper at age 6 and tragically witnessed her father murder her mother 3 years later. Betty has used her experience to empower and transform the lives of girls and young women in southern Africa by creating a girls, rights group, which has reached over 300,000 girls in Zimbabwe.

Founded in 2009, Girl Child Network Worldwide (GCNW) supports the development and empowerment of girls, and works to eradicate all forms of abuse.

Betty has been awarded 14 global and local awards in her struggle for girls in Africa which are recognised internationally. She is an Ashoka Fellow and The Women’s World Summit in Switzerland recently established The Annual Betty Makoni Prize for the Prevention of Child Abuse celebrated around the world each year on the 19th of November.

Betty had to leave her native Zimbabwe after she was awoken with a start in the middle of the night by masked men who were breaking through the door with an axe. Fighting for girls’ rights can be dangerous, resulting in her decision to relocate her young family to the United Kingdom and form Girl Child Network Worldwide.

Prior to the launch, GCNW founding trustees and international experts are convening a strategic planning meeting and will present a 5-year plan at the launch event. END