I can't tell if you are making fun of Oprah for doing something to help those less fortunate. It sounds like you are. I say Thank Goodness for Oprah who is trying to change the world, one idea at a time. I think it's great and more people who have the financial means should join forces and help as well! For those of us who don't, we can help volunteer our time instead of money. We all have social responsibility. Hooray for Oprah!

I think we could all agree Oprah's intention in creating this program is noble and beautiful! Young people in our country (and around the world) DO care and we all need to support them in 'being the change.' I do wonder if/why this program needs to be 'Oprah branded.' Perhaps it will create more momentum and awareness however I don't think the program name needs to have the 'O' in front of it to accomplish its vision. I sincerely hope the program is a resounding success and inspires heightened global collaboration.

On a related note, please check out and consider supporting the Alliance of Students Against Poverty - http://www.asap2025.org/

Knowledge of international volunteering may provide necessary context for understanding the author's attitude here.

What Oprah proposes is a huge task at which an independent agency of the US government has (I would say) achieved modest success in much struggle since a running start in 1961.

With screened, grown-up volunteers who spend 2 years, not 3 weeks, after three months of training (to contend with challenges which are decidedly uninspiring and unromantic).

But those are the dues you pay to actually do something. Three weeks is barely enough to get your feet wet - in seeing how things are, in learning the culture, in making a sustainable difference. What you can get in three weeks is socially conscious tourism, i.e. talking a little bit and dropping money on the local populace.

This is not a bad thing. My country of service could use more contact with people from the US (and would not be hurt by a little money from well-behaved tourists). And I see it as only a good thing that Oprah is helping to raise the profile of the rest of the world and the availability of volunteering and international careers.

We all hope that Oprah's plans for the world will deliver their full promise and more. But hardened volunteers may agree with the Teacher of Ecclesiastes that "the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning." One only hopes that Oprah consults with experienced people to improve the impact of the program.

"I do wonder if/why this program needs to be 'Oprah branded.' Perhaps it will create more momentum and awareness however I don't think the program name needs to have the 'O' in front of it to accomplish its vision."

There's no denying that it's a worthy cause, but she's not the first person to address it. And yOo don't think that the program needs the "O" embellishment? HOw On Earth will it ever wOrk, if she dOesn't have her brand On it?

Yep, it's too bad that the movement needs an endorsement from Oprah.

I do hope that this project is better managed than her school for disadvantaged girls outside Soweto/Johannesburg in South Africa.

At least she puts her money where her mouth is. While I might not agree with the way she goes about seeking change, at least she's seeking it.

How much money is she spending? Oprah is worth billions of dollars. Billions.

She isn't just focusing on little African girls anymore and that is probably healthy.