Priscillah Nyathi alleged to have converted GCNW cash to personal use

Girl Child Network Worldwide public statement on preliminary findings on funds management .

Girl Child Network Worldwide is always updating you on many issues .You recall our Christmas was somewhat disturbed by some smear media campaign started by a group of women here in UK . These were later joined by some journalists who have since confirmed most of the reports that came out in the newspapers were with no support documents such as bank statements and auditors reports . However GCNW team has long established that this smear campaign  targeted at Betty Makoni in particular and the organisation in general started in Zimbabwe some two years ago and it is meant to confuse the public and manipulate mostly the donors of GCNW to view the organisation in bad faith and so not to donate  .

At least 3 journalists(two male and one woman from Sunday Mail  in Zimbabwe) and four online newspapers in UK  have been fully assigned to continue writing such negative media reports and quote Oxfam Letter which this donor has stammered on embarrassingly when taken to task to explain the motive to announce an evaluation report and an audit  when they have supported GCN Zimbabwe for almost ten years and went on to misinform the public Betty Makoni is nowhere to be seen when in fact Betty Makoni sits as an honoured member of their round table  and twice visited Oxfam Novib in  April 2009 and also an Oxfam Novib  representative met Betty Makoni in London in June 2009 . There is no way in sincere partnership work could Oxfam Novib chosen to communicate through any media organisations where their partnership is well spelt out and GCNW does not owe any single report to Oxfam Novib .It is apparent the group of women who started the smear campaigns were also part of the group that misinformed the Oxfam Novib evaluation and many other donors in an effort to derail GCN Zimbabwe and this is a clear plot targeting one leader but affecting thousands of beneficiaries .

Betty Makoni`s lawyers have since concluded the Oxfam Novib letter and many other documents being used online as so called evidence give  a very strong case for a defamation law suit .All reasons for such smear campaigns have been fully established and GCNW has realised there are a few underground layers operating to defame Betty Makoni but using some women to make false statements and most of such women are not in GCWN structures or if they are, have been bribed and are being paid to act like so .The links of these women have been rated the most dangerous and they are very closely linked to such a network in Zimbabwe that threatened Betty Makoni`s life .GCNW can reveal that such women are disguised as credible leaders but none of the networks they lead in UK have ever revealed what they do and what how their organisations have ever accounted for any funds they have received from the public  . It is very ironic that such demands for accountability are coming from such leaders who unlike Betty Makoni have never presented a single audit report or even shown their beneficiaries and how they benefitted .

It has been long been established nowhere had British police or Charity commission taken action against GCNW or instituted an investigation .This was part of the dramatised smear campaign to manipulate public to view Betty Makoni as dishonest and to see her as in bad faith .Members of the public are calling the group of women to show through evidence where the investigation they announced in the newspapers is taking place and what results this came out with as GCNW is so sure the general public is waiting anxiously

The following facts are there for everyone to see and please note that we state the following facts with tangible evidence and this is to let the public know that GCNW would never issue out statements without evidence and that is why we let the dust settle so that when the right time comes we  give the public accurate information for them to analyse and consider their future support to our organisation .Whereas such media campaigns are targeted on Betty Makoni as an individual and such smear campaigns are selfishly undertaken by a few individual women and men with hidden personal agendas ,the truth is such  that girls suffer the most when funds are withheld and support is delayed or cancelled .It is not always that only one individual suffers .

Tare first operation is mission accomplished  and second operation not anticipated

Taremeredzwa Mapungawana came to UK to get treatment for one operation .Funds raised by the organisation were for one operation .A total of  15 452 .43 pounds was raised by GCNW by 20 October in UK only  and 13862 pounds was paid to hospital whilst the balance went towards her upkeep ,transportation and accommodation .Funds for Tare have been fully accounted for by a qualified accountant based at the Dove project .For the first operation GCNW had planned for her ,this is mission accomplished because all that the organisation planned to do with Tare on the first operation was done according to plan .

Tare and her mum went to live with their aunt after a professional arrangement was put in place and signed for .Betty Makoni was out of England from 21 October to 14 December 2009 and so could not leave Tare alone with her husband and three boys and hence Tare`s aunt offered that she would look after them .Tare and her mum made some contribution to their living expenses with their aunt especially for food .Records with GCNW accountant show that during the time Betty Makoni was out in USA ,Tare and her mum went  to see the doctor for four times and each time Tare`s mum paid for transportation with funds donated by well wishers  in cash whilst in hospital. At the moment GCNW is half way to secure funds for Tare to get into second operation and this was not at all anticipated .After the first operation  Professor Hutchinson  who operated on Tare found an overactive gland and this is reason why we have two operations and not one as we had announced during our appeal for help . So the second operation came about well after the first operation was done and this is often misunderstood by members of the media .Members of the public must be aware that Betty Makoni has fully committed to give accommodation ,food and transport to Tare and her mum only if she is not travelling and there is an arrangement for relatives to take over Tare during Betty`s travels .Tare discharge from Betty Makoni residence is only done with vetted relatives only when Betty Makoni is travelling and this should not be taken to be dumping Tare .

On media statements sent out by this group of women purporting funds were embezzled, the general public must be made aware of the fact that although Priscilla Nyathi was quoted by press  as Co Director at that time ,GCNW had no such position and according to records that we have Priscillah Nyathi was a volunteer with GCNW for programs  but working also with the Zimbabwe Network in South end on sea .All cheque books ,bank statements were in her custody since 15 October 2009 up until 18 January 2010 when GCNW lawyers emailed to demand release of all GCN books of accounts to a qualified accountant and this was expeditiously done on 21 January 2009 and a review of the books was done internally with help of a qualified accountant.

Internal financial Reviews findings and way forward

Priscilla Nyathi had six cheques signed in advance by Betty Makoni before she left for  Canada and USA  on 15 October  . These are cheque numbers 50 ,51,52,53 ,54  and 55 (Please note the cheque book was left locked in a secure safe in the office and Priscillah Nyathi is alleged to have taken it out of the office without authorisation from trustees )The agreement was that Priscillah Nyathi would do program outlines and email them to Betty Makoni and trustees for authorisation of Tare hospital bill payments and for other girls projects in Zimbabwe as well as office rentals .

Tare was discharged out from hospital on 27 October, 2009 and a total of 13862 pounds was supposed to be paid to the hospital. Although Priscilla Nyathi had an invoice from hospital on 1 November 2009  which was clear on what amount was to be paid she wrote a cheque of 9000 pounds to the hospital on 7 December 2009 instead of the total 13862 pounds on the invoice .On 10 December 2009  Priscilla Nyathi withdrew a total of 4000 pounds cash  on cheque number 55 and paid 1000 pounds to hospital on 14 December 2009 and then paid 2000 pounds on 30 December 2009 .Trustees of GCNW fear at the time of the smear report Priscilla Nyathi did not report she had a total of 4000 pounds in her custody which was supposed to have been included on 9000 pounds cheque to hospital .Investigations are being carried out as to why she kept this cash for 20 days instead of paying the whole amount within 24 hours as per standard transparency and accounting policy and it is not yet clear why she withdrew such a large amount of money instead of sending a cheque to the hospital. GCNW  internal review team has asked their accountant to investigate on this matter because delay for Priscillah to pay the bill led the hospital to  cancel Tare second operation .By 30 December 2009 Priscilla had paid all cash she had withdrawn from GCN Trust account .Priscilla Nyathi refused to attend a meeting of 14 December 2009 which was supposed to give GCNW team financial report on Tare

However ,since Betty and Priscilla were the only signatories to the account ,Priscilla went to Lloyds bank and blocked Betty Makoni from accessing the account and she told the bank she was the only sole trustee and that Betty Makoni had stepped down as a trustee and so she must not be allowed to access the accounts .Although Betty Makoni was appointed as CEO and Founder by trustees on 1 September 2009,Priscillah convinced the bank Betty Makoni was not a trustee and this is why she was the only one withdrawing funds by 10 December 2009  .The situation has now been investigated by trustees who have long established that the same falsehood circulating in the media is the same she had spread to the general public ,police and Charity Commission. The motive for doing this smear campaign when she was the one in possession of all cash and all cheque books is not known .Although Priscilla Nyathi promised the general public she would have an auditor go through the books ,the only documents the lawyers received was a financial report on word document and some program outlines she authorised herself for spending on  perdiums ,lunches and transport .All these funds she took from GCN Girls Fund .

GCNW  is desperately trying to locate Prisciallah Nyathi so that she attends a meeting where she explains the following:

Priscillah Nyathi allegedly paid former GCNW trustee unlawfully and without authorisation by trustees

Cheque  number 51 she paid to a former trustee on 27 November 2009 instead of Tare`s bill cannot be justified given she paid cheque to someone not in a desperate situation and someone she came out in a newspaper article purporting to be trustee of GCNW for asylum seekers .She paid for consultancy services where no contract exists and where no trustee can be contracted without a written permission from the Charity Commission .This amount was targeted for sexually abused girls in Zimbabwe and donated by a well wisher .This is the only cheque Priscillah Nyathi wrote and issued to an individual without Betty Makoni and trustees of GCNW being aware .GCNW  is working very hard to get back this money .Lloyds bank has since confirmed name of the individual Priscillah wrote the cheque to and the bank promised to send back cheque as evidence .

Priscillah  Nyathi alleged to have converted cash to personal use

On cheque number 55 ,Priscillah Nyathi withdrew 4000 pounds and all of it was meant for Tare hospital bill and office rentals .GCNW has  found out that no office rentals were paid although the cheque stub indicates 1000 pounds would be for rentals and 3000 pounds for Tare hospital bill.

4550 pounds misappropriated from Girls Empowerment and Education Fund

GCNW  therefore confirms that a total of 4550 pounds has been misappropriated from GCN Trust account Girls Empowerment Fund since Betty Makoni left for Canada and USA  as well as Botswana since 15  October 2009 .Betty Makoni only returned to the office on 14 December 2009 and since then Priscillah Nyathi has refused to attend any meetings to update Betty Makoni and trustees .

GCNW concerned about equipment seized from the organisation

GCNW is  seriously concerned that Priscillah Nyathi has refused to return back such equipment such as a new laptop ,printer and blackberry and of late the bill GCNW is paying for non charitable work  billing of the phone is so high and that  money could go to needy girls in Zimbabwe

GCNW hopes that the above update has clarified a number of issues raised by the general public .The organisation wishes to inform members of the public that most of what has been circulated on face books and in many newspapers is a smear campaign that has seriously undermined the credibility of GCNW bit also to say this is not at all new as many times the group behind this smear campaign phone disguised as police ,journalists and many things and so whereas we know what is happening word to word members of the public may not be aware  . We thank all supporters who know us through and through and who trust credible GCNW leaders cannot stoop so low to deprive a girl like Tare of her health and dump her when for the past ten years the organisation has protected over 35 000 girls who face violence in the home ,school and community in Zimbabwe  . We are grateful to most of our supporters who have stayed with us through the storm and our hope is that the word gets to Zimbabwe where most of our girls are worried and have been trying to talk to Betty Makoni .Families and relatives of those affected are called upon to remain steadfast in their support to our programs and we sincerely apologise the humility that you suffered as a result of such smear media campaigns

On the other hand, GCNW wishes to inform members of the public that the issue of Oxfam Novib has been dealt with effectively by a team of lawyers and soon a statement will be issued out .Initial findings have indicated that Oxfam Novib has avoided responding to many questions to give any evidence to the so called statement on the evaluation and audit report because such reports were never there at the time the letter was posted on face books and many websites  .A  legal expert is currently consulting with Betty Makoni to see what to do best to clear her name and since it is clearly Betty Makoni who was affected most during CNN campaign  she has decided to confide in a few advisors  what course of action she will take next but the experts who analysed the whole case feel that certain individuals are acting more politically than professionally and now that CNN vote is over there is no such smear campaign .The latest smear campaign used Oxfam Novib as evidence and right now Oxfam Novib has backtracked on their so called letter and they have been asked to attend meetings to verify contents of their letter and GCNW and GCN Zimbabwe  is waiting to hear from them since November 2009 .

After all this has happened GCNW needs to inform members of the public that in all purposes and intents GCNW works with a team of financial experts who can be approached should anyone have queries about their donation .Members of the public are free to visit our offices anytime to verify on our information and view how our systems work and  GCNW is a learning organisation  and so any constructive criticism done in a respectful way is very welcome .GCNW wishes to advise members of the public that in GCN Zimbabwe all previous  audits show nothing of what has been reported in the press and again anyone with genuine concerns should call 091 22 88 251 to get information that is accurate .

GCNW would like to state that after all work that has been for Tare and many disadvantaged girls in Zimbabwe ,all leaders in GCN deserve  is to be treated better and to be consulted in a professional way

The Local Bookkeeper Southend-on-Sea- bookkeeping and plus sum
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