Graça Machel

Graça Machel (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈɡɾasɐ mɐˈʃɛl]; née Simbine [sĩˈbinɨ]; born 17 October 1945) be a Mozambican politician den humanitarian. Machel be an international advocate for women den kiddies dema rights wey na dem make am an honorary Dame Commander of de Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II insyd 1997 for ein humanitarian work. She be de woman per insyd modern history wey serve as First Lady of two countries: South Africa den Mozambique. She be de widow of former Presido of Mozambique Samora Machel (1975–1986) den former Presido of South Africa Nelson Mandela (1998–2013).

Graça Machel be a member of de Africa Progress Panel (APP), a group of ten distinguished individuals wey advocate at de highest levels for equitable den sustainable development insyd Africa. As a panel member, she dey facilitate coalition building to leverage den broker knowledge, den dey convene decision-makers to influence policy for lasting change insyd Africa.

Na she be de chancellor of de University of Cape Town between 1999 den 2019.

Early life den education
Na dem born Graça Simbine 17 days after ein poppie ein death, de youngest of six kiddies, insyd rural Incadine, Gaza Province, Portuguese East Africa (modern-day Mozambique). Na she attend Methodist mission schools before she gain a scholarship to de University of Lisbon insyd Portugal, wer na she study German den first cam be involved insyd independence issues.

Machel sanso dey speak French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese den English, as well as ein native Xitsonga language.
 Political career 
Na Simbine return to Portuguese East Africa insyd 1973, wey na she join de Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO) den dey work as a schoolteacher. Dey follow Mozambique ein independence insyd 1975, na dem appoint Simbine Mozambican ein first Minister of Education den Culture on 25 June 1975.

During ein tenure, na de number of students dem enrol insyd primary den secondary schools rise from about 40 per cent of all school-aged kiddies to over 90 per cent give males den 75 per cent give females.

 Later career 

 Oda activities 
Corporate boards

 Whatana Investment Group, chairwoman of de board of directorsBoard of Directors Archived 23 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine Whatana Investment Group.
 PME African Infrastructure Opportunities, senior advisor (since 2014), independent non-executive member of de board of directors (2007–2014)
 Principle Capital Group, non-executive member of de board of directors (since 2004)

Non-profit organizations

 Africa Progress Panel (APP), member
 African Child Policy Forum (ACPF), chairwoman of de international board of trusteesInternational Board of Trustees Archived 22 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine African Child Policy Forum (ACPF).

 ACCORD, chairwoman of the board of trustees (since 2008)Graça Machel elected chair of ACCORD Board of Trustees ACCORD, press release 18 December 2008.
 Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA), chair of de Eminent Advisory Board
 Mo Ibrahim Foundation, member of de board

 Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital, chairwoman of de board of trusteesBoard of Trustees Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.
 Synergos, member of the board of directorsBoard of Directors Synergos.
 Foundation for Community Development (FDC), founder den presido (since 1994)
 VillageReach, honorary chairwoman of the board of directorsBoard of Directors Archived 6 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine VillageReach.
 International Crisis Group (ICG), former member of de board of trustees
 United Nations Foundation, member of the board (1998–2007)Board United Nations Foundation.
 Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), co-founder den former member of de board (since 1992)

Ein life matter
Na Simbine marry Samora Machel, de first presido of Mozambique, insyd 1975. Togeda na dem get two kiddies: daughter Josina (born April 1976) den son Malengane (born December 1978). Na Samora Machel die insyd office insyd 1986 wen na ein presidential aircraft crash near de Mozambique-South Africa border. Josina be a women's rights activist wey na insyd 2020 dem list am as one of de BBC ein 100 Women.

Na Graça Machel Mandela marry ein second husby, Nelson Mandela, insyd Johannesburg on 18 July 1998, Mandela ein 80th birthday. At de time, na Mandela dey serve as de first post-apartheid presido of South Africa. Mandela die of pneumonia on 5 December 2013.
 Honours, awards den international recognition 

 Honours 
 30px Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (GYC), 1997 (Spain).
 30px Honorary Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), 1997 (United Kingdom).
 Honorary Fellow of the British Academy (Hon FBA), 2017 (United Kingdom).

 Awards 

 Nansen Medal of de United Nations, 1995.
 Global Citizen Award of de New England Circle, 1997.
 InterAction's Humanitarian Award, 1997.
 North-South Prize of de Council of Europe, 1998.
 Princess of Asturias Award (International Cooperation), 1998.
 World's Children's Prize (togeda plus Nelson Mandela), 2005.

 Decade Child Rights Hero (togeda plus Nelson Mandela) by 7.1 million kiddies thru a Global Vote, dem organize as part of de educational World's Children's Prize Program, 2010.
 World Health Organization Gold Medal, 2018.
 Major award from CARE as result-longstanding work on behalf of kiddies.. United Nations Foundation profile

 Honorary doctorates 

 Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (Hon. DHL) from de University of Massachusetts, 2006.
 Doctor of Philosophy honoris causa (DPhil h.c.) from de University of Stellenbosch, 2008.
 Doctor honoris causa (Dr. h.c.) by University of Barcelona, 2008.
 Doctor honoris causa (Dr. h.c.) by University of Évora, 2008.
 Doctor in Laws honoris causa (LL.D. h.c.) by Trinity College Dublin, 2015.
 Doctor honoris causa (Dr. h.c.) by Leiden University, 2021.

 References 

 External links 

 BBC Profile of Graça Machel
 UNICEF Report – Impact of Armed Conflict on Children by Graça Machel Archived 4 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
 SAHistory bio
 UN Foundation Bio
 Graça Machel at IMDb

Category:1945 births
Category:Human
Category:Mozambican people
Category:First ladies of South Africa
Category:First ladies of Mozambique
Category:Government ministers of Mozambique
Category:Tsonga people
Category:Dames Grand Cross of de Order of Isabella the Catholic
Category:Honorary Dames Commander of de Order of the British Empire
Graca
Category:Mozambican emigrants to South Africa
Category:Mozambican Methodists
Category:Mozambican Marxists
Category:People wey komot Gaza Province
Category:Women government ministers of Mozambique
Category:Honorary Fellows of de British Academy
Category:FRELIMO politicians
Category:University of Lisbon alumni
Category:Chancellors of de University of Cape Town
Category:Honorary Fellows of de African Academy of Sciences
Category:Nansen Refugee Award laureates
Category:Tsonga women
Category:The Elders (organization)