After 20 years of providing elite education to underserved students, Oprah Winfrey has announced that the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) in South Africa will officially close its campus in 2027.

Winfrey, who founded the boarding school in 2007 with a mission to cultivate future leaders, stated that the decision marks a strategic evolution in her philanthropic approach. Rather than maintaining a single physical campus, Winfrey intends to transition her focus toward a scholarship-based model. This shift is designed to reach a significantly larger number of young women across the region by funding their education at a diverse array of institutions.

"The goal has always been to provide opportunities that change the trajectory of young women's lives," Winfrey noted in a statement released through Oprah Daily. "By moving toward a scholarship program, we can extend our support to more students, ensuring that we are investing in talent wherever it resides rather than limiting our reach to one facility."

The academy, located in Henley-on-Klip, south of Johannesburg, became a beacon of educational excellence and a signature component of Winfrey's global philanthropic efforts. Since its inception, the school has graduated hundreds of students who have gone on to attend universities worldwide.

Operations at the campus will continue as normal through 2027 to ensure that current students have the necessary time to complete their studies. The foundation is expected to share further details regarding the application process for the new scholarship initiative as the school prepares for its final academic year.

Source: BBC