U.S. first Black woman billionaire Oprah Winfrey fulfilled her $40 million promise to Mandela; now she has made an unexpected move with the girls’ academy

In 2002, American media icon Oprah Winfrey met former South African President Nelson Mandela to discuss poverty and education as a way to tackle social inequality. Drawing on her experience growing up poor in the American South, she promised to build a school for young women. She fulfilled that promise and has now decided to transfer ownership of the academy to the South African government.

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By Awogbemila Temitope·November 3, 2026·South Africa