Oprah is at it again. It would be great if we all had her money and concern for others. As reported on nationalpost.com Oprah has started a school to help disadvantaged girls to the tune of $40 million. She had made a promise to Nelson Mandela, the former South African president, six years ago and kept it by establishing the school in South Africa.
The campus sets on 62 acres and has everything from flat-screen computers to a beauty salon. Students applying to attend the residential school must come from families with incomes of 60,000 rand ($10,400) a year or less. Students are not required to pay tuition or board.
The first 152 girls, mainly black and ages between 11 and 13, were chosen after an initial 3,500 applications were whittled down to 500, when Ms. Winfrey stepped into the interviewing process.
"I went to their homes, I met their parents and teachers. I know their story because their story is my story," she said.
Mr. Mandela and Ms. Winfrey were both on hand for the opening ceremony. Mariah Carey, Tina Turner and Mary J. Blige, Chris Rock, Sydney Poitier, and Spike Lee were also there. Wow! Now that's an event worth videotaping.