CNN news 2011-06-26
First Lady Michelle Obama is a superstar of sorts in South Africa today.She addressed the packed congregation at a church in Soweto,inspiring young women to be a generation that works to end hunger, corruption and combat HIV and AIDS.
CNN's Nkepile Mabuse joins us now from Soweto.
Tell us more about the speech.
Look, Kyra, Graca Machel, who's Nelson Mandela's wife,described to the first lady of the United States as the "queen of our world." And she says that Mrs.Obama has redefined womanhood in the 21st century. And I think that just gives you a sense of just how excited people are about Mrs. Obama's presence here.
Of course, in her speech,she did not disappoint. She paid tribute to those who gave their lives really for the freedom of this country,for democracy in this country,but she also challenged the youth. She said to the youth of today that so much has been achieved in South Africa.
Yes, you do have political freedom but there are so many things that are still going wrong on the continent.There's still poverty. There are still so much left. There's HIV/AIDS.Those are the battles that you guys should be waging.
And she asked them,what generation will you be? Because the Mandelas of this world were the freedom generation.
So, it was a very inspiring speech. There was a lot of reaction after the speech.I was getting tweets all the time after the speech from young people who were in that church,about 2,000 people were present there ,who were listening to Mrs. Obama, Kyra.
Well, I also heard that many people were inspired by listening to her two daughters. Let's take a listen.
And I said, I do not like the way that they play. If mother could see this, what would she say?
Then said, look, look! Your mother is owner her way home! Do you hear? Oh, no! What will she do for us? What will she say?
Nkepile, I bet those kids were inspired by the reading of the stories!
Definitely. I mean, I think what has amazed South Africans so much is that they see the first family as so down to earth. You know, Mrs. Obama started that day, yesterday, by meeting with one of our first ladies here in South Africa. Of course, President Zuma is married to several wives.
So, she was he is presidential guest house meeting at the first let's there. And then from there, she went to shanty town and she was dancing with these kids, singing with these kids , and reading what she says was Malia and Sasha's favorite story book when they were growing up. So, she took books to them.
I think, you know, South Africans are really touched by just how genuine she is. A lot of people say she is approachable, yet classy,Kyra.
Nkepile, thank you very much.
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