By
Brooke McKean
May 25, 2007
Oprah Winfrey's new $40 million school is a vision detached from reality. The South African school, although an admirable dream, will not help Africa escape poverty. The school is designed from a Western perspective, and it appears that Oprah did very little research into South African culture and social expectations.
She gave the girls big closets, she told Newsweek, because "we plan to give them a chance to earn money to buy things. That's the only way to really teach them how to appreciate things." These girls will send every penny they earn back to their parents' homes. If they didn't, they would be isolated by their families.
Oprah also asked the local tribes to elect girls with leadership potential. In all likelihood, the chiefs probably had their daughters or daughters of individuals in their favor apply because no one dares argue with a chief.
Oprah also told Newsweek, "They've never been told they are pretty or have wonderful dimples. I wanted to hear those things as a child."
I don't know much about South African culture, but at least in the majority of West Africa, women's bodies are the epitome of beauty. Throughout adulthood, women's bodies are adored and always complimented no matter their size and shape. Understanding cultural, political and economic systems in a country is important to create programs that instigate change. Oprah's school ignores reality.
The multi-acre, multi-building school could have housed far more than 152 girls, only 4 percent of the number that applied. The fireplaces, china dishes and luxurious accessories will not give these girls an education. Even at the UW, many buildings and school supplies are reminiscent of the 1970s.
Beyond the extravagance of the school, $40 million could have helped many more children. Abaana, a religious charity organization, spends $40,000 to build a school that could serve probably 30 students. With Oprah's $40 million, Abaana could have built 1,000 schools, allowing 30,000 children to receive basic primary education.
Furthermore, Oprah's school disregards the reality of education in rural, agricultural-based Africa. The average farmer only gains from basic reading and writing skills provided by primary education. In many cases, children don't even receive an education because their parents need them to work on their farms. Econometric studies have found that child labor actually provides greater returns to the child and family than education in the short run. I don't promote that children are better off working, but we cannot ignore the reality of everyday life and the reasons people make decisions that seem unethical to us.
Education is one of the keys to economic development, but parents need an incentive to send their children to school. The education system needs to be adequate, and children need a future other than agriculture.
As someone who hopes to do development work, I don't disagree with Oprah's hopes and dreams for a better world, but I don't think her school, or any like it, could change the future of Africa.
During her stay in Africa, I can only guess Oprah stays in the most expensive 5-star hotel suites, eating food likely shipped from Europe. She has probably never stayed in a pavement shanty on the streets of an African city or a wooden hut in rural Africa.
She probably couldn't imagine the day-to-day life of the girls in her school. Until she lives and comes to understand their daily struggles, her money will continue to make headlines and not much more.
If celebrities like Oprah, Angelina Jolie, Bono and Julia Roberts truly want to make a difference in alleviating poverty, they should sell their extravagant homes, move to a poor country for a few years and live their lives. Only then could they find a useful way to spend their exorbitant amounts of money.
Reach columnist Brooke McKean at opinion@thedaily.washington.edu
8 Comments
#1 Kayla Malcolm
on May 25, 2007 at 7:08 a.m.(Fort Lauderdale, FL | Unverified Name)
People like you always find the negative in situations. It seems to me you are really reaching for ideas to meet your deadline. Its her money she can do what ever she wants with it. what have you done thats of any worth. She is only one person, she can't save the world. You hater!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Instead of wasting time wrighting this junk, go do something useful with your life.
#2 Jordan
on May 25, 2007 at 7:15 a.m.(Ottawa, Canada | Unverified Name)
I think you're the one who missed the point. The luxurious surroundings are intended to help the girls tolerate the rigorous academic demands and to gain self-esteem since the majority of these girls had been sexually abused. And the surroundings aren't even all that luxurous compared to U.S. private schools. And why would Oprah use her money to create a school for thousands, when as you say, for the majority of Africans, quiting to school to work is a better investment than education? Instead she created a school for the truly gifted who would become future leaders and benefit the most from academic training. Sure some of these girls may be the daughters of importants people, but not that important since all the girls were required to be poor and most overcame some kind of trauma. In addition they had to perform well on standardized tests to get in the school so they're qualified.
#3 Barbara
on May 29, 2007 at 9:52 a.m.(Bethesda, MD | Unverified Name)
While I find your understanding of S. African culture interesting, and certainly worth considering by anyone working in the developing world, I believe that Oprah's school can and will make a difference. Oprah has chosen to educate a few, very bright girls who otherwise would not get an education, and certainly not a quality education. These girls have the ability, and now the opportunity, to become very powerful women in South Africa. Imagine what 500 very powerful S. African women in the same generation can accomplish. I am looking foward to the success of her vision.
#4 RDes
on July 23, 2007 at 8:04 p.m.(Dayton, OH | Unverified Name)
How can only educating one gender help a community? Nonsense. While it is her money I think there could have been far better uses that would have dramatically improved the community as the author mentioned. My main problem, though not touched on in this article, is the exclusion of the boys who have endured just as much hardship. How can a community grow if only one half of it is educated. These girls are promptly going to leave their homeland to find suitable partners and spouses (as is their right). Let's be realistic here. Since community is based on family how can they build better families if the boys are still stuck in poverty with no education?
#5 dejaecarter
on October 6, 2007 at 10:45 a.m.(Des Plaines, IL | Unverified Name)
I 100% agree with RDes. Well said.
#6 dejaecarter
on October 6, 2007 at 10:45 a.m.(Des Plaines, IL | Unverified Name)
I 100% agree with RDes. Well said.
#7 RMathis
on October 30, 2007 at 12:25 p.m.(Fairfax, VA | Unverified Name)
Sometimes the greatest and most noble of intentions, if not applied with wisdom and understanding, can do greater harm. Passion, caring and resources are good, but they are not enough. It is the development of character that makes a people overcome difficult circumstances and rise to greatness. Often that character is developed when the oppressive forces are most strong against it. We in the western world are quick to judge success according to material gain and accredited accomplishment. With all that we've accomplished we still have rapists, murderers, crooks, molesters and even cannibals among us. Many of them are college educated as well as those who are uneducated. Many have held influential positions as well as those who are "unknown people" from "unknown places". Many are mothers or fathers. The blind will only lead the blind into a different ditch. I don't doubt Oprah's heart. I know that she was a victim of abuse herself. There were probably many who never thought she would amount to anything. They were wrong, because she was somebody worthy of respect the moment she was conceived in her mother's belly. Whether she ever became rich, well educated or not, she was somebody; and so are all children and all people. I pray that God will give sight of this to Oprah as well as to the young ladies in South Africa and more. I know that many aren't going to like what I'm about to say but that's okay. If you want to strengthen children, you start by strengthening the family. If you want to strengthen the family you need to strengthen the head. Just as the wayward man is often the harbinger of instability and insecurity in family-social-institutional life; setting him on the right course likewise makes him the harbinger of stability and security. You cannot successfully figure the realignment of the human male out of the human solution; and he must lead. Just as he may lead in the wrong way he needs to just as effectively lead in the right way. So, Ms. Winfrey's school is an indictment against the male; and it should be humbly received as such. Based on what I've come to know over the years of Ms. Winfrey (I remember her when she was a new face on the TV)I think I understand why she hasn't figured the African male into her program. I don't hold it against her. I don't think any compassionate person would.
#8 abby
on November 3, 2007 at 10:47 p.m.(Worcester, MA | Unverified Name)
I find your comments to be very much on the mark regarding the overall impact of this school but I don't fault Winfrey. I don't see it changing Africa's future but if she can give these girls at least some opportunity to go further then I hope they seize it. However, I think applying your criticism in such broad terms to the other celebrities involved in charitable work is not appropriate. You haven't presented similar evidence in the case of Bono or Angelina to show that they are making similar misguided errors.
I don't know much about Bono's work but I do know that Angelina does live among the locals when she is in Cambodia (which is frequent) so she does have some idea of the daily struggle that her neighbors endure. She works with the UN to support the only Millenium village outside of Africa. She isn't introducing western ideals but helping the people of the village to use their own resources to become self-sufficient, in addition to removing the landmines and ensuring that the land isn't poached. There are other instances in which Jolie resides among the locals and UN workers during her UN travels but I have no intentions prolonging this issue. My point however, is that you have provided no evidence to support the direct comparison that you are making here with Oprah's school where these girls have been taken from their homes and are being thrust into a world, a lifestyle, that they have little hope of maintaining unless they leave home (not to mention how a little less extravagance could have gone to help more kids) yet you have lumped Bono and Jolie into a category of people imposing western ideals on others.
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