| Graça Machel | |
|---|---|
| Graça Machel (in 2010) | |
| First Lady of South Africa | |
| In office 19 July 1998 – 14 June 1999 |
|
| President | Nelson Mandela |
| Preceded by | Winnie Madikizela-Mandela |
| Succeeded by | Zanele Mbeki |
| First Lady of Mozambique | |
| In office 11 November 1975 – 19 October 1986 |
|
| President | Samora Machel |
| Preceded by | none |
| Succeeded by | Marcelina Chissano |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 17, 1945 Incadine, Mozambique |
| Spouse(s) | Samora Machel 11 November 1975 – 19 October 1986 Nelson Mandela 18 July 1998 – present |
| Children | Josina Z. Machel & Malengani Machel |
| Alma mater | University of Lisbon |
| Occupation | Teacher and then Education Minister |
| Religion | Christian, Methodist |
Graça Machel, DBE (born Graça Simbine; 17 October 1945) is a Mozambican politician and humanitarian. She is the third wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela and the widow of Mozambican president Samora Machel. She is an international advocate for women’s and children’s rights and in 1997 was made a British dame for her humanitarian work.
Graça Machel is also known for being the only woman in the world to have been first lady of two different countries.[1]
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Born in rural Incadine, Gaza Province, Mozambique (Portuguese East Africa), she attended Methodist mission schools before gaining a scholarship to attend University of Lisbon in Portugal, where she first became involved in independence issues. In that university, she earned a scholarship from Romance Languages. She is fluent in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and English, as well as her native Tsonga. She returned to Mozambique in 1973, joined the Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and became a schoolteacher.
Following Mozambique's independence in 1975, Machel was appointed Minister for Education and Culture. She married Samora Machel the same year. Following her retirement from the Mozambique ministry, Machel was appointed as the expert in charge of producing the groundbreaking United Nations report on the impact of armed conflict on children.[2] Her first husband died in a plane crash over South Africa in 1986.
Machel received the 1995 Nansen Medal from the United Nations in recognition of her longstanding humanitarian work, particularly on behalf of refugee children.
In July 1998, she married South African President Nelson Mandela.
In 1998, she was one of the two winners of the North-South Prize.[3]
Machel currently serves as the chair of the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) Eminent Advisory Board.[4]
On 18 July 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel, and Desmond Tutu convened "The Global Elders, a group of world leaders to contribute their wisdom, leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world's toughest problems. Mandela announced its formation in a speech on his 89th birthday. Tutu served as its initial chair. Other founding members included Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus.
The Elders will be independently funded by a group of donors, including Richard Branson, Peter Gabriel, Ray Chambers, Michael Chambers, Bridgeway Foundation, Pam Omidyar, Humanity United, Amy Robbins, Shashi Ruia, Dick Tarlow and the United Nations Foundation.
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