WCPRC - Barnens Värld, Childrens World

WCPRC - Barnens Värld, Childrens World - EN

/ WCPRC / Laureates / Graça Machel & Nelson Mandela, Moçambique & South Africa

The World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child 2005:
Nelson Mandela & Graça Machel

Graça Machel and Nelson Mandela are married. They are the best friends of the children of Mozambique and South Africa.

They speak out against the violation of children's rights and both run organisations that promote the rights of the child and help children in need.

> Meet Graça and Nelson

	Why has Nelson Mandela been awarded? Nelson Mandela has received The Global Friends' Award 2005 for his lifelong struggle to free the children of South Africa from apartheid and the immense support he gives to their rights. After 27 years in prison he became the first democratically elected president of South Africa, a country where children of all colours today enjoy equal rights for the first time. Nelson continues to help South Africa's children and demands respect for their rights. He runs his own children's foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund (NMCF), which helps children whose parents have died of AIDS, street children, disabled children and poor children. As president he donated half his salary to poor children and when he received the Nobel Peace Prize he gave part of the prize money to help street children. Nelson not only wants all children to feel loved, he also wants to give them a better future. That's why he also gives children the chance to develop their talents. Why has Graça Machel been awarded? Graça Machel has received The Global Friends' Award 2005 for her long and courageous struggle for children's rights, mainly in Mozambique. She has fought for the rights of girls to go to school. When she was Minister of Education, the number of schoolchildren rose by 80%. Today, 45% of all schoolchildren are girls, but Graça's goal is to have as many girls as boys in schools. In rural regions, most girls have to work and are married off at an early age. Graça therefore started a theatre group to teach parents the importance of education for girls. She has had schools built where there were none or too few. After the floods of 2000 Graça and her FDC organisation gave students new schoolbooks and re-housed families in new homes. Graça and the FDC also fight against all forms of violence and abuse against children. Internationally Graça has worked to help child victims of war and to stop the trafficking of children.

Apartheid means "seperateness" or "being apart" in Afrikaans. Blacks and whites were kept separate from each other.

> More about apartheid

Mandela's life story
Read more about Mandela's exciting life in the picture story. Be patient, since it is a rather large file.

Download the picture story about Nelson Mandela

Gabatshwane Gumede singing to Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel

"Thank you for your magic...," sings Gabatshwane in her song to Nelson Mandela. She thanks him for all he has done for the children of South Africa, for her freedom, for the chance to go to school and for his respect for children's rights.

> Meet Gabatshwane
> Gabatshwane's song to Mandela

The last time Phule met his mother, she was so ill that he thought she was going to die in front of his eyes.

> Meet Phule

One evening a man came to Leoa's house. She had never seen him before, but she knew exactly what he wanted anyway.

> Meet Leoa

Hey! Yo! Yes, yes, yes! It's me again!" calls Zanele, 12, into the mike. It's Saturday morning and the radio show Rebound has just started.

> Meet Zanele

We love Graça and Mandela
"I wish Mama Graça and Nelson Mandela good luck. They've helped many children go to school..." Read about the children in Mozambique and South Africa thoughts about Graça and Mandela.

> Read the children's thoughts

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