Guest Author - Jackie O´Neal

The opening of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa, serving the educational needs of 152 girls, proves to be one of the most meritorious initiatives launched this New year 2007.

Located in the town of Henley-on-Klip, one hour south of Johannesburg, the 52 acre site comprised of 28 buildings, offers an educationally nurturing environment for the girls who were selected out of 3500 applicants.

The campus represents the culmination of two years of design and architectural planning work by Jeremy Rose and Jonty Doke of Mashabane, Wilson and Associates. During the planning stages of the project, Winfrey envisioned a school that would rival all existing schools. In 2002, Winfrey pledged 10 million dollars to Nelson Mandela to build the school. Since then the donations for the project sky-rocketed to 40 million dollars.

The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, a private foundation, provides grants to non-profit organizations that offer educational opportunities to enhance the quality of life for children and families around the world.

Winfrey's mission includes catapulting impoverished girls into the roles of future leaders, a much needed endeavor in a country plagued with violence against women. Although on paper, South Africa has been free of apartheid for twelve years, statistically girls under ten years of age become victims of rape, HIV infection continues to spread in epidemic proportions in both children and adults. In terms of unemployment, 36% of women struggle and face illiteracy.

The initiative of building the school is aligned with an important UN Millenium Development Goal, that of promoting gender equality and empowering women to improve the quality of life in developing nations.

Winfrey has explained: "I know this academy will change the trajectory of the girl's lives."

Winfrey had been criticized for not using her resources to help the needy in the United States in terms of building a school. She noted the passion for learning evident among youngsters in South Africa, in contrast to American youngster's obsession with consumerism as one of her motivations.