Betty Makoni joins Nehanda Radio

The founder of the Girl Child Network Betty Makoni will from next week onwards be producing a weekly programme for Nehanda Radio called ‘Never Again’ with Betty Makoni. 

In 2009 Makoni was selected as one of the CNN Heroes of the Year, an award run by global news media giant Cable News Network. For over a decade she has worked tirelessly to protect young girls from sexual abuse, rescuing thousands and providing a public forum for them to speak out. Makoni says her own tragic experiences have motivated her.

Makoni has since grown the Girl Child Network into the Girl Child Network Worldwide. Recently she was selected to be on the team of experts for Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative to be officially launched on 30 January 2013 by the UK Foreign Office. She joins the team as a Gender Based Violence expert.

“I am coming in to join Nehanda Radio at a time when social media has revolutionized communication and the way we disseminate information. Gone are the days we waited to be funded in order to reach out to the communities and transform their mindsets in as far as gender based violence and gender equality are concerned,” she said on Tuesday.

“Today media is home to activists like us to create the spaces we need and use such platforms to save lives of women threatened by rape, domestic violence and harmful cultural practices. I am joining Nehanda Radio at a time when the station has thousands of followers and I want to passionately engage every man and woman in a Never Again campaign.

“We will discuss and debate all gender issues until we come to a consensus that Never Again, not to any woman or girl again. I come to Nehanda Radio at a time when I strongly feel that my personal story and my autobiography has transformed lives of many who read but of course there are many who are illiterate or cannot afford to buy the book or even find time and interest to read the book.

“I want to invite you on this special Never again journey and I am very confident we will stage a revolution and see women and girls empowered to lead and change our countries where people are perishing due to gender imbalance in leadership

“Unless we balance roles of women and men in all spheres of life, most of what we want to achieve remains verbal. Never again moves us to action. It is time the world recognises the many voices of women fighting for equality between men and women, boys and girls.

“We appreciate the giant step taken by Nehanda Radio to include women activists like me to articulate critical issues facing women and girls today.

“At grassroots level there remains a huge gap between those in leadership and the poorest of women and this gap is filled up by turning  our roles to be radio personalities and creating movements via modern technology,” Makoni said.

Never Again with Betty Makoni every Monday on Nehanda Radio, also available on Nehanda Radio Soundcloud