CHILD rights activist and founder of the Girl Child Network (GCN) Betty Makoni was among 10 “most respected child rights defenders” who honoured former South African President Nelson Mandela (pictured) and his wife Graca Machel by bestowing them with the World Children’s Prize on Wednesday last week.
The Mandelas were elected “Decade Child Rights Heroes” by more than seven million children worldwide and Graca accepted the award at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden.
The couple was honoured in the presence of 10 of the world’s most respected child rights defenders who included Makoni.
Other Child Right heroes present at the 10th anniversary included Asfaw Yemiru, a  former street child who has devoted over 50 years to giving underprivileged children in Ethiopia the chance to go to school; and James Aguer, who has freed thousands of kidnapped children from slave labour in Sudan in the last 20 years.
Young Lisa Bonongwe, the first Zimbabwean to be on the World Children’s Prize jury also shined as the master of ceremonies at the event attended by Queen Silvia of Sweden.
“Nelson Mandela and I are very touched and humbled by being honoured by the children,” said Machel.
“At the same time we have respect for holding the trust and hope of millions of children.
“The mission they have entrusted us with is huge. We have to ask: how do we meet the aspirations of these children?”
The ceremony was conducted by children from 25 countries who are experts on the rights of the child through their own life experiences, including as child soldiers, slaves and homeless.
Makoni said she was proud of 15- year-old Bonongwe’s performance who has been empowered by her organisation to speak on behalf of Zimbabwean girls in difficult circumstances.
“This is how I want to end the first decade — with my network of girls expanding worldwide, with girls going to school,” she wrote on her profile on the social network site Facebook after the event.
“I want them educated as this is why I set up the organisation.
“I want to start another decade and set up a girls’ fund and help girls like Lisa.
“I want to do my work with friends who support me; I want every girl to know they can be leaders and not victims”
At least 24 million children in 53 500 schools in 101 countries support the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child.
Makoni was one of the nominees to the World Children’s Prize for the decade 1999 to 2009.

BY OUR STAFF

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