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7 Million Children Vote for Nelson and Graça
Both Graça Machel and her husband, the former South African President, Nelson Mandela, have been crowned ‘Heroes’ in a vote cast by seven million children from across the world.
The ‘Decade Child Rights Hero’ is a new award established to celebrate ten years of the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, founded by the Swedish organisation, Children’s World.
Graça is being honoured for her work with vulnerable young people, primarily in Mozambique and for her courageous campaigning for the rights of girls. In 1994 she established the Foundation for Community Development—a grassroots organisation that protects children from disease and poverty—the first of its kind in Mozambique. “We buy vaccines and make sure that children do not die from preventable illnesses,” she explained.
Graça also helps young people who are too poor to go to school. “I know what it’s like,” she said. “I was just as poor when I was little.” Thanks to her efforts, girls will soon account for half the pupils in Mozambique’s schools.
Graça’s husband, Nelson Mandela, led the resistance against South Africa’s Apartheid regime, which ruled that black and white communities must live in separate areas, travel on different buses and even wait in separate lines. He was sentenced to imprisonment for treason and released after 27 years, by which time he was 72 years old. The South African government ended Apartheid in 1994.
Two decades later, Nelson Mandela remains an influential world speaker on humanitarian issues and a champion of young people’s rights. He runs his own foundation, into which he used to donate half his presidential salary. The centre looks after children who are orphaned, disabled, or whose parents are too poor to take care of them. “The Children of Africa are the most valuable treasure that the country will ever possess,” he said.
On receiving the news that they had won, Nelson and Graça announced: “We are extremely honoured ... There’s nothing more precious and pure than being loved and appreciated by children. For us both, this award is very special given the place children occupy in our hearts and lives.” The prize fund is 1.1 million Swedish Kronor. Graça and Nelson will receive half to help them continue their work— just over 63,000 dollars. The remaining half is split between twelve other candidates.
Pointing out that being recognised by children comes with great responsibility, Graça added: “While we thank you for the award, we also renew our commitment and call upon each and every individual, whether in public or private life, to do even more to provide our children with a future worth having. It is in our reach.”
The World’s Children’s Prize is awarded by an international child jury, who are experts on the rights of young people due to their own life experiences. The jury includes those who have been soldiers, refugees, street children, or who have had their rights violated in other ways. This year’s ceremony was held in Stockholm in April.
Contact: World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child
www.childrensworld.org
Story from Positive News UK
The ‘Decade Child Rights Hero’ is a new award established to celebrate ten years of the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, founded by the Swedish organisation, Children’s World.
Graça is being honoured for her work with vulnerable young people, primarily in Mozambique and for her courageous campaigning for the rights of girls. In 1994 she established the Foundation for Community Development—a grassroots organisation that protects children from disease and poverty—the first of its kind in Mozambique. “We buy vaccines and make sure that children do not die from preventable illnesses,” she explained.
Graça also helps young people who are too poor to go to school. “I know what it’s like,” she said. “I was just as poor when I was little.” Thanks to her efforts, girls will soon account for half the pupils in Mozambique’s schools.
Graça’s husband, Nelson Mandela, led the resistance against South Africa’s Apartheid regime, which ruled that black and white communities must live in separate areas, travel on different buses and even wait in separate lines. He was sentenced to imprisonment for treason and released after 27 years, by which time he was 72 years old. The South African government ended Apartheid in 1994.
Two decades later, Nelson Mandela remains an influential world speaker on humanitarian issues and a champion of young people’s rights. He runs his own foundation, into which he used to donate half his presidential salary. The centre looks after children who are orphaned, disabled, or whose parents are too poor to take care of them. “The Children of Africa are the most valuable treasure that the country will ever possess,” he said.
On receiving the news that they had won, Nelson and Graça announced: “We are extremely honoured ... There’s nothing more precious and pure than being loved and appreciated by children. For us both, this award is very special given the place children occupy in our hearts and lives.” The prize fund is 1.1 million Swedish Kronor. Graça and Nelson will receive half to help them continue their work— just over 63,000 dollars. The remaining half is split between twelve other candidates.
Pointing out that being recognised by children comes with great responsibility, Graça added: “While we thank you for the award, we also renew our commitment and call upon each and every individual, whether in public or private life, to do even more to provide our children with a future worth having. It is in our reach.”
The World’s Children’s Prize is awarded by an international child jury, who are experts on the rights of young people due to their own life experiences. The jury includes those who have been soldiers, refugees, street children, or who have had their rights violated in other ways. This year’s ceremony was held in Stockholm in April.
Contact: World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child
www.childrensworld.org
Story from Positive News UK
Heros: Nelson Mandela and Graça Machelxx
© Louise Gubb/WCPRC
by Sarah Wilkinson
