2007: Building a dream

Charity is as charity does. Today, the EU anthem, the prelude to "The Ode to Joy" by Ludwig van Beethoven, rang out in celebration of the ascension to the EU of Romania and Bulgaria. Prospects of new hope for these ex-Soviet states filled the vision of 2007. Yet, on the eve of New Year, there was another celebration taking place on the other side of the equator - one of hope for impoverished and depraved girls, of a proper education in fine style.

In Sun City, South Africa, Oprah Winfrey celebrated the New Year in grand style. However, this celebration was not only splash for celebrities. It was a celebration also of a very special institution. In the little town of Henley-on-Klip, Meyerton, South Africa, a new academy for girls will be opened in 2007: The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy.

The new institution is not without its controversy. With typical South African irony, Meyerton is built on gold mining. Yet, large portions of the broader community live in poverty, with rather dismal education provisions. Brushing aside critique over the lavish investment in a community where poverty reigns, Ms Winfrey made a rather poignant statement on her choice to build such a luxurious academy in that region of South Africa, saying she didn't build it in the USA because inner-city kids in the USA don't appreciate the value of a free education [Daily News].

Ms Winfrey went on to say, " If you ask the [US] kids what they want or need, they will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South Africa, they don't ask for money or toys. They ask for uniforms so they can go to school."

This stark difference in mentality is arguably characteristic of the current status of the two societies. South Africans are very much aware of the potential of education in a country that is largely Third World with a burgeoning First World sector. Children often travel long distances to reach school - even though the school standards are often dismal in many communities. The national budget for education takes the lion's share of the overall budget. The South African dream is very much centred on education.

The American society appears to be in a state of affluence and excess. Education has relatively less importance. Wealth, superficial entertainment and status symbols seem to take preference. Such a lifestyle feeds intense paranoia over loosing it all. The annual defense budget dwarfs all other segments combined. The American dream appears very much off course.

Ms Winfrey's investment in South Africa deserves applause. It also raises some reservations over the unusual trappings of American glitter that this institution introduces into a community with simple demands: Excellent education for realising dreams of a new future.