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 directors
* 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 trustees

* ACCORD, chairwoman of the board of trustees (since 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 trustees
* Synergos, member of the board of directors
* Foundation for Community Development (FDC), founder den presido (since 1994)
* VillageReach, honorary chairwoman of the board of directors
* International Crisis Group (ICG), former member of de board of trustees
* United Nations Foundation, member of the board (1998–2007)
* 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
*  Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (GYC), 1997 (Spain).
*  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.

### 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
*  at IMDb