Alice Sia Nyama Koroma

Alice Sia Nyama Koroma is the first lady of Sierra Leone and wife of Sierra Leon's President Ernest Bai Koroma. She was born on March 19, 1958 into a wealthy prominent political family. Her mother Danke Koroma was a primary teacher and her father Abu Aiah Koroma was a lawyer, and Sierra Leone Attorney General from 1967 to 1968. He was also Managing Director of the National Diamond Mining Company (NDMC) based in Kono District from 1976 to 1987, minister of natural resources under president Joseph Saidu Momoh and Sierra Leone minister of political and parliamentary affairs under president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

Alice Sia Nyama Koroma attended Annie Walsh Secondary School in Freetown where she graduated as a science student in 1976. She holds a Master of Science in Organic Chemistry from the University of London and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of London and Fourah Bay College in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

She started her working life at Sierra Leone Petroleum Refinery where she rose to the position of Chief Chemist. 

She got married to Ernest Bai Koroma on 18 October 1986. Her husband was elected president of Sierra Leone in September, 2007.

Alice Sia Nyama Koroma is the mother of two daughters, Alice and Danke Koroma.

First Lady Alice Sia Nyama Koroma

First Lady Alice Sia Nyama Koroma

First Lady Alice Sia Nyama Koroma

First Lady Alice Sia Nyama Koroma

First Lady Alice Sia Nyama Koroma

First Lady Alice Sia Nyama Koroma

First Lady Alice Sia Nyama Koroma

First Lady Alice Sia Nyama Koroma (third right)

First Lady Alice Sia Nyama Koroma with the First Lady of Ghana Lordina Mahama (left), First Lady of Tanzania Salma Kikwete (second left) and Moon Soon-Taek (The wife of U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon)

Winnie Madikizela Mandela

Winnie Madikizela - Mandela is a South African politician who has held several government positions and headed the African National Congress Women's League. She was born Nomzamo Winfreda Zanyiwe Madikizela on 26 September 1936 in the village of eMbongweni, Bizana, Pondoland (now Eastern Cape Province).

Winnie Mandela married Nelson Mandela, former South African president and anti-apartheid revolutionary politician in 1958. The couple separated in 1992 and their divorce was finalised on 19 March 1996.

Despite restrictions on education of blacks during apartheid, she earned a degree in social work from the Jan Hofmeyer School in Johannesburg, and several years later earned a Bachelor's degree in international relations from the University of Witwatersrand.

Winnie and Nelson Mandela have two daughters, Zenani who was born in 1958 and Zindzi born in 1960. 

Winnie Madikizela - Mandela emerged as a leading opponent of the white minority rule government during the later years of her husband's imprisonment (August 1963 - February 1990). For many  of those years she was exiled to the town of Brandfort in the Orange Free State and confined to the area, except for the times she was allowed to visit her husband at the prison on Robben Island. Beginning in 1969 she spent eighteen months in solitary confinement at Pretoria Central prison. 

Winnie Madikizela - Mandela

Winnie Madikizela - Mandela

Winnie Madikizela - Mandela

Winnie Madikizela - Mandela (right) and her daughter Zenani (left)

Winnie Madikizela - Mandela (center) and her daughter zindzi Mandela (left)

Winnie Madikizela - Mandela (right) and her daughter zindzi Mandela (left)

Winnie Madikizela - Mandela (center) and her daughter zindzi Mandela (left)

From left to right: Zenani Mandela, Winnie Mandela, Zoleka Mandela (Winnie Madikizela - Mandela's granddaughter) and Cassey Moyo

Winnie Madikizela Mandela and her ex-husband Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela - Mandela on their wedding day

Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela - Mandela on their wedding day

Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela - Mandela and one of their daughters

Winnie Mandela (center) and her daughters Zenani (left) and Zindzi (right) 1975.

Winnie Madikizela Mandela's Interviews and Speeches

Graca Machel

Graca Machel, born Graca Simbine, is the third wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela and the widow of Mozambican President Samora Machel. She is a politician, humanitarian and an international advocate for women's and children rights. She is also an international advocate for women's and children's rights and in 1997 was made a British dame for her humanitarian work.

Graca Machel was born on 17th October, 1945 in rural Incadine, Gaza Province, Mozambique. She attended Methodist schools and later studied German at the University of Lisbon in Portugal with a scholarship. Graca Machel also speaks French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and English, as well as her native Tsonga.

Graca is the only woman in history to have been First Lady of two different countries, serving as the First Lady of Mozambique from 1975 to 1986 and the First Lady of South Africa from 1998 to 1999.

Graca married her first husband Samora Machel in 1975. Samora Machel died in a plane crash over South Africa in 1986, the couple had two children, Josina Machel (daughter) and Malenga Machel (son).

She married her second husband, South African President Nelson Mandela on 18th July, 1998 on his 80th birthday. Mandela and Graca do not have any children, though Mandela has children from her previous marriages and Graca has two children from her previous marriage with former president of Mozambique. 

For her long standing humanitarian work, particularly on behalf of refugee children Graca received the 1995 Nansen Medal from the United Nations. She was also one of the two winners of the North - South prize in 1998. 

Graca currently serves as the chair of the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) Eminent Advisory Board.

Graca Machel

Graca Machel

Graca Machel

Graca Machel

Graca Machel

Graca Machel and her husband Former South African president Nelson Mandela

Graca Machel and her family at Malenga's graduation ceremony at UCT; left to right: Josina Machel, Nelson Mandela, Malenga Machel and Graca Machel.

Graca Machel congratulates her son Malenga at his graduation ceremony at UCT

Graca Machel's daughter, Josina Machel and a friend

Graca Machel and her husband Nelson Mandela

Graca Machel and her husband Nelson Mandela

Graca Machel (right) with Prince Charles and his wife Camilla

Former First Lady Graca Machel (center) and Oprah Winfrey (left)

Former First Lady Graca Machel  and Oprah Winfrey 

Graca Machel and former US President Bill Clinton in New York

Graca Machel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Graca Machel and Mo Ibrahim, the founder of Mo Ibrahim Foundation

Graca Machel Interviews & Speeches