Oprah's Drive For Volunteering in Africa

She is an exemplary role model for taking a stand and taking action to do something to help where it's really needed. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa will house and educate 150 deserving young African girls.

It took the superstar talk show host about five years and $40 million to build the facility that according to her wishes, provides the best of everything for the young women. Oprah was partially motivated by the challenges she faced in her own childhood to build the school. Her longing to feel a strong personal connection to an act of charity was also an inspiration. She was driven to do something that would affect a real change in the lives of the African children. Through her Angel Network Oprah has been able raise substantial funding and volunteer efforts to help with the project.

Ms. Winfrey faced many obstacles in the process of building the facility, but she was not to be stopped. Even when the local government withdrew from the project, probably for financial reasons, the star forged ahead undaunted. Some officials criticized her for the relative lavishness of the facility. Even though the girls had minimal clothing, Oprah demanded that their dorm spaces and closets be extra large.

Her reasoning for this was she wanted the students to be infused with the understanding of what it means to have something. Through the appreciation of having things, she intends that they are motivated to earn money to buy their own things. This attitude has certainly raised a few eyebrows, especially in the circles that would have her spread her money out over more children. Yet she holds firm to her conviction that the hands-on experience for the young women will make them want to expect more from life. Not only that, but the girls gain a sense of self-worth when they experience good treatment from others in their environment.

This is precisely what makes Oprah's academy stand out in a crowd. The fact is, a fine education can be bought with the right amount of money, but self esteem cannot be learned from books. The education the students receive is a concrete benefit, but the ability to go out into the community and the world with strength and confidence is an exclusive, though not so easily measured advantage. It is evident that to Oprah, volunteering in Africa means that shaping the lives of a few young women now will make a difference to the future of the country as they go out into their own communities and become living role models for the next generation.