Patrons 

Councillor Joy Laguda MBE

Councillor Joy Laguda was born in Harare,Zimbabwe.  She is married to Dr Shoaib Laguda.  They have five children, four boys and a girl, and 6 grandchildren.She became a Councillor in 1998 and served in various committees.In May 2002, the people of Newham chose to have a directly elected Mayor.  As Councillor Laguda was a serving councillor she was elected as the first citizen of Newham., she was the first black person to be the first citizen of Newham., and she has also received the freedom of the City of London.   

As well as chairing the meetings of the Council, the Civic Ambassador attends and speaks at hundreds of events and openings during the year, welcomes official visitors and international guests and raises funds for charities and good causes.   The Civic Ambassador also supports the Mayor in representing Newham at National and International events. During her civic year she attended more than 600 eventsHer most proud and momentous occasion in her life was to meet HM The Queen in October 2010, who presented her with the ‘MBE’.

Shingai Shoniwa 

s an English singer of Zimbabwean descent and best known as the vocalist and bassist for the UK indie rock band Noisettes. She studied circus skills at a London youth club as a teenager. When she graduated, she attended art school and dabbled in local theatre. Her classmate and friend, Dan Smith, would hold what she called "ridiculous jam sessions — too many people strumming broken guitars thinking they're Syd Barrett". She then went on to study at the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon." One day she joined him singing, and the two quickly formed a group called the Noisettes.

Betty Makoni

Betty Makoni(BA Gen, BA Special Hons) is CNN Hero 2009 for Protecting the Powerless and honoured by Nicole Kidman. She has 27 global awards for Innovation, commitment and passion for her work to protect over 300 000 girls in Zimbabwe. She has inspired millions around the world to replicate the Girl Child Empowerment Model. Besides her work with Girl Child Network Worldwide and building many Girl Child Networks in Africa and world over Betty Makoni is a mentor, coach, trainer for many women and girls who want to do similar work.United Nations Red Ribbon award honoured Betty Makoni and Girl Child Network as having the most innovative strategy for gender equality. .Betty is featured in best selling books to include Women Who Light the Dark by Paola Gintirtuco, On The Up By Nikki and Rob Wilson as well as main subject in the award winning documentary, Tapestries of Hope by US Independent Presidential Hopeful ,Michealene Risley. Girl Child Network Empowerment Model which she started in 1998 has been singled out as Best Practice and included in University of Essex Journal for Human Rights 2010.She is a mother of three boys and married to Engineer Irvine Nyamapfene.