All Oprah's girls accepted at universities
First class of graduates from Oprah Winfrey school set to study further in SA and USA
Mpumi Nobiva was raised by her grandmother in a neighbourhood beset by poverty and crime after her mother died of AIDS. Now one of the first to graduate from Oprah Winfrey’s school, she is headed to college in North Carolina.
Winfrey spent $40 million to give her girls a campus with computer and science labs, a library and a wellness centre.
None paid tuition.
The students are high-achievers, often from communities where schools are struggling to overcome the legacy of apartheid.
And as the South African school year nears its end, all 72 members of the school’s first graduating class have been accepted to universities in South Africa or the United States. More than a dozen have received full scholarships.
Winfrey told her students that when you teach a girl, you teach a nation.
“The first class, my class, will prove that,” said Nobiva, 18, who will study visual and performing arts at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Winfrey will be at the school for graduation ceremonies in January, school officials said Wednesday as students gathered to reflect on their experiences over the last five years.
The school has drawn sometimes harsh attention because of the celebrity who founded it, and also because of early problems.
Students have been accused of being spoiled.
Allegations that a woman employed to care for the girls in their dormitory had instead abused teens were the subject of headlines around the world. The woman was acquitted last year.
Earlier this year, a newborn born to a student at the school was found dead, again drawing international attention.
“Yes, we’ve had bad coverage,” Nobiva said. “But it has certainly made us stronger.”
Winfrey, who has visited her school often, has instilled a sense of purpose.
On Wednesday, Nobiva’s classmates — aspiring doctors, accountants, engineers and lawyers — spoke of their plans to serve their communities.
“You can imagine the impact of girls with that insight going out into the universe,” Nobiva said.
Majooooro!!
Oprah! you are a very good samaritan! i also wish i can do that one day,pls pray that i be like you the day i win lotto!Report Abuse
cold
*************NGITHE NGIZTHOLELE UMNTWANA O FRESH,,INGANE YASE RES,UMUNTU ONJENGO NES HHAYI WAYILAMULA******SINGING DANCING LIKE MAMPITHSA*******ABEZE SIZOBA SIKA MAREZA,,UYABABO NABA BAYEZASIYABAGEZA NGO 12 OCLOCK SYADAVAZAReport Abuse
Warren
Well done to the girls and Kudos to the one and only "O" for a most meaningful and long lasting contribution to our nation. That cant be said about even some of our own people who always think of taking from society rather than giving. Be forever blessed Oprah.Report Abuse
ILLUMINATED
Their minds have been poisoned and they will be puppets to Oprah's Masters of New Age. This is the worst case scenario of deception. The devil never gives freebies without benefitting. Wait and watch.Report Abuse
MuAfro
Congradulation to you all........Now concentrate on your studies le tlogele banna.
Then you will make a difference in our country.
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Into_Enje!
I wish Juju can do same in Limpopo or they rather go to Zar with his cadres :pReport Abuse
Papage
Bravo My Sister, you did what the Government could not do, the African Presidents just look at their own pockets, they cant even use the Tax payers monies to the good. Thank you I hope those who have ears and eyes are learning something. We have giants in South Africa, people with serius monies, they dont even know what to do with it, People just take a leaf from this Sister and educate the nation, Limpopo Business people wake up and stop the pregnansies of young girls and teach them.Report Abuse
mthobisimthimkhulu
Its pity its 1 school, imagine if ANC gov built these kinda schools across towhships & rural areas, porverty would have been a thing of the past!Report Abuse
umbrarchist
$40,000,000 to turn out 72 graduates per year?$40,000,000 could have bought 200,000 OLPC computers. So if she spent $10,000,000 to hire experts to produce a computer curriculum then spent $30,000,000 on 150,000 computers how many children could have been advanced? Even if only 10% effective that would be 15,000 kids.
So at 100 graduates per year that will be 10,000 in 100 years.
Yeah, Oprah is really smart. LOL So how come I'm not rich. LOL
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