Oprah Winfrey, one of America’s most successful women, is giving the gift of an education to 152 poor girls in South Africa. The idea to build a school began six years ago after Winfrey met with former South African president Nelson Mandela. Winfrey built the school to honor Mandela and her own African roots. “I wanted to give this opportunity to girls who had a light so bright that not even poverty could dim that light,” says Winfrey.
Last Tuesday, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls opened in a small town south of Johannesburg. Its students, ages 11 and 12, come from disadvantaged backgrounds. “It is my hope that this school will become the dream of every South African girl and they will study hard and qualify for it one day,” said Mandela at the opening ceremony.