Oprah Winfrey will close the Leadership Academy for Girls at the end of next year, but will continue to support girls' education in South Africa through scholarships.

Oprah Winfrey has announced that she will close the Leadership Academy for Girls that she founded in South Africa in 2007, at the end of next year. Inspired by discussions with former South African president Nelson Mandela, Winfrey created this institution to educate underprivileged girls. Although the school will be closed, Winfrey emphasized that her mission to invest in the potential of young women does not end with the closure of the campus, but will continue through an extensive national scholarship program for talented girls. Over 500 girls have graduated from the academy, and some have gone on to prestigious universities. The 52-acre campus will be taken over by the Gauteng provincial government, which has ensured that current students will be able to complete their studies without financial interruptions. The academy was previously involved in an abuse scandal, but Winfrey quickly took action to address the situation.