Maria Haller facts for kids
Maria de Jesus Haller (1923–2006) was an amazing woman from Angola. She became Angola's very first female ambassador, which means she was like a special representative for her country in other parts of the world. She also played a big part in helping Angola become free from Portugal, which used to rule it. Besides all that, she was a teacher, a journalist, and a writer!
Maria was born in 1923. Her mother was a young worker on a farm. When Maria was just three years old, her father sent her to live in Portugal, his home country. At fifteen, she briefly saw her mother again. This meeting inspired her to get involved in important social and political work.
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Fighting for Freedom
Around 1955, Maria married a Swiss businessman named Jean Rodolphe de Haller. They lived in a city called Léopoldville (which is now Kinshasa) in what was then the Belgian Congo. There, she met other Angolans who were living away from home because they were against Portugal's unfair treatment of Black people in Angola.
After returning to Europe, Maria stayed in touch with these brave Angolans. Around 1965, they asked her to represent the MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola) in Cairo, Egypt. The MPLA was a group working for Angola's independence.
It wasn't easy for Maria in this role. Some officials in Egypt didn't want to let her use radio stations because she was a woman. But Maria and Agostinho Neto, who would later become Angola's first president, stood firm. They threatened to leave Egypt if she wasn't given access, and eventually, the officials agreed.
Angola's First Female Ambassador
After 13 years of fighting for freedom, Angola finally became independent on November 11, 1975. Agostinho Neto became its first president.
In 1978, Maria de Jesus Haller made history again! She became Angola's first female ambassador. She was sent to Stockholm, Sweden, to represent her country. Later, she became the director of the Asia and Oceania Department in Angola's Ministry of External Relations. This meant she helped manage Angola's relationships with countries in Asia and Oceania.
A Writer for Children
Maria was also a member of the Union of Angolan Writers (UEA). In 1988, she wrote a children's story for a special book called Acácia Rubra.
Maria de Jesus Haller passed away on October 18, 2006, in Geneva, Switzerland, after being sick for a long time. Her funeral was held in Angola, the country she loved and fought for.
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Learn more about Maria de Jesus Haller in Spanish!
More to Explore
- In Spanish: Maria de Jesus Haller para niños
