Oprah Winfrey
by Radiyah Shakur
"Use what you have to run towards
your best - that's how I now live my life" is
a quote made by Oprah Winfrey in O Magazine, August
2003. Oprah Winfrey - day-time television guru, actress, producer, entrepreneur
and the first African-American billionaire, is using her fame, influence
and reach to positively affect the lives of under-privileged children and
young-adults
in the US and abroad.
 Oprah is a strong supporter of education, believing it limits boundaries and
self-restraints, as well opens doors of opportunities. She has also given millions
toward providing better education for students who have the brains but not
the bucks to pay for schooling. She created The Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program
which provides teacher training, gives money towards school supplies, and builds
schools both in the United States and abroad. The program is committed to helping
women, children and families, and offers scholarships to students committed
to using their education to give back to their communities.
In 1991, drawing from her own experience of being abused and molested as a
child, she initiated the National Child Protection Act when she testified before
the US Senate Judiciary Committee to establish a database of convicted child
abusers. In 1993, President Clinton signed the ‘’Oprah Bill’’ into
law, enabling law enforcement agencies and empowering concerned persons all
over the nation access to the database.
In 1998 Winfrey created the aid organization Oprah’s Angel Network,
which relies on gifts from the public, and encourages civic philanthropy. The
money, which is donated by audience members, viewers and supporters all over
the world, is donated to various non-profit organizations. All of the administrative
costs to run the organization are personally covered by Oprah, meaning 100%
of the money goes towards charitable projects. So far the Angel Network has
raised $35million; helping to establish scholarships, schools, support women's
shelters, build youth centers and homes.
Oprah has expanded her efforts in the past years, undertaking several projects
in South Africa. She announced the establishment of the ‘’Oprah
Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls - South Africa’’ in conjunction
with South Africa’s Ministry of Education, scheduled for completion in
2007. She also introduced Christmas Kindness South Africa 2002, which gave
gifts of food, school supplies, books, toys, sport shoes and clothing to 50,000
children in orphanages and in rural schools. In addition, 63 rural schools
received new libraries and teacher training.
Winfrey is a partner in Oxygen Media, Inc. which is a 24 hour cable network
channel that provides programming aimed at women. In 2000 Oprah's Angel Network
began presenting a $100,000 "Use Your Life Award" to people who are
using their lives to improve the lives of others. Oprah and her Angel Network
have also donated $1million towards rebuilding after the Tsunami, and to numerous
other charities committed to health, community, women, children and family
endeavors. After seeing the devastation and desperate conditions that many
Americans were suddenly left in following Hurricane Katrina, Oprah donated
$10milllion of her own money to rebuild homes and give Katrina victims a new
lease on life.
Since July 2005 the Oprah Winfrey for Nobel Peace Prize has been gaining momentum
signatures of support to send to Nobel laureates Nelson Mandela and Jimmy Carter.
More details on support campaign can be found on www. oprah4peaceprize.org
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