Oprah’s Leadership Academy

I hope everyone got a chance to catch this special. I have to say, I absolutely fell in love with each and every one of those girls that she interviewed. Those girls, aged 5 and up, have gone through more in their short lives than I could even imagine. They all touched my heart and I even shed a few tears. Not crying for them and their situation, but I was just so touched at their determination to get an education and better themselves despite what their little eyes have seen.

A pair of sisters, 5 and 6, saw their father shoot their mother and then turn the gun and shoot himself. They went to visit the grave and they said something that just knocked me out. I mean, I feel like we all go through “stuff” but, really, is it that bad? I don’t think so. So one of the sisters, I can’t rememebr if it was the older or younger, but she said that they are not worried because God has a reason for everything and they know their parents are watching over them. I don’t know what it was, but my eyes watered up so fast. To see these two little girls, without their parents, who witnessed what they did to have such strong faith in God, it was all too much.

Then there was this sweetheart whose mother passed away from HIV/AIDS. Her dream is to go to school and find a cure for HIV/AIDS because her whole community is suffering from this. All of the girls showed such determination, but this girl had an air about her and such a light in her soul.

The one girl who lived with her father and grandmother because her mother left her when she was four, was so special to me. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have my grandmother. It was painfully aware that she was still so hurt by her mother leaving her. Her father works hard to provide for her and her grandmother. It was so wonderful to see a father care so much about his daughter. She was so excited to be chosen to be a part of this academy. She mentioned that she loved the mural that was painted because the “girls in it were not all skinny, because she’s not skinny.”

When Oprah announced that the girls were accepted into the school, it was beautiful! She called them all her daughters. When Oprah was interviewing the girls, one girl commented that Oprah’s hug was so “motherly” and how “nice it felt” to be hugged like that. Made me miss my mom; I’m going to call her tomorrow, we haven’t spoken in a while. I just really hope you all got to catch this special. Oprah’s invited guests believe these girls will be the future of South Africa, I agree.

I think Sidney Portier said it best, “These girls are poised, articulate and remarkable.”