Raquelina, who once dreamt of becoming UN secretary-general, died in Maputo at the age of 20

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Raquelina, who once dreamt of becoming UN secretary-general, died in Maputo at the age of 20

3:19 CAT | 30 Mar 2016

Voa Portugues / Raquelina Langa

Raquelina Fernando Langa, the young Mozambican activist who became famous in 2013 for asking Ban Ki-Moon how she could become Secretary-General of the United Nations, has died in Maputo after a prolonged illness on Good Friday.

“Will I one day be secretary-general of the United Nations? And what must I do to become UN’s secretary-general?” Raquelina asked Ban Ki-Moon when the UN chief visited the Mateus Sansão Muthemba Secondary School in Maputo in May 2013.

Raquelina’s question prompted the Secretary-General to call on women to “dream big”, and he subsequently invited the young student to visit United Nations headquarters in New York.

Ban Ki-moon e Raquelina Langa em Maputo, 2013

Ban ki Moon with Raquelina Langa who was 17 at the time, in Maputo 2013

In August 12 2014, Raquelina participated in the International Youth Day celebrations at the United Nations headquarters in New York. On their reunion, Ban said Raquelina had successfully highlighted the fact that, in seven decades, the UN had never considered a woman candidate for its top post.

On her return to Mozambique, Raquelina continued her human rights activities, focusing on the protection of girls against violence.

The United Nations Radio reported on Monday that Raquelina passed away in a hospital where she had spent much of this year.

Secondary school teacher Ernesto Ngomane told United Nations Radio that 20-year-old Raquelina passed away on Friday 25 March in the Maputo hospital where she spent much of the year.

“Once she got to hospital, she had to receive serum, because she was weak and with problems derived from lack of blood,” Ngomane said.”During the night of Thursday, she received serum. When the family left the hospital, they received information that later she was to receive blood. They were advised to return to the hospital the morning of the next day, Good Friday. When the family got there, the news we had was that she had already lost her life. “

During the visit to New York, Raquelina Langa told UN Radio that she was determined to fight to, being a woman , lead the organization. They asked her: “Was this plane ride today just to have an idea of how it will be, because you will spend much time on the plane as a secretary-general?” Raquelina laughed. “If I fight. Yes. I believe that yes, so that it does not become just a dream but a reality. I was brave enough to face this battle and would not be afraid to confront the others that are coming. “

Raquelina ‘s funeral will be held next week in Maputo. She was 20 years old.

Source: Voa Portugues