The MPULE Foundation was established in July 1999 to address the

HIV/AIDS crisis in Botswana. The historic founding board of the

Foundation included Linah Mohohlo, Governor of the Bank of Bot-

swana, Joy Phumaphi, Minister of Health, Dr. Ric Marlink of the Har-

vard AIDS Institute and other thought leaders in Botswana.

Mpule traveled extensively across Botswana, addressing tens of thou-

sands of people. Her first address was to a gathering of 35,000 people

at the national stadium in Gaborone on 1st July 1999 including His

Excellency Festus Mogae, then President of the Republic of Bot-

swana, and members of his cabinet.

Right: Mpule with Sir Ketumile Masire, former President of the

Republic of Botswana at a dinner held in her honor at the Grand

Palm Hotel in Gaborone

Nelson Mandela launches the MPULE Foundation

The Foundation was officially launched at a glittery dinner gala held

at Ditshupo Hall in Gaborone in November 2000. Nelson Mandela

served as the guest of honor and key note speaker. He was accompa-

nied by his wife, international human rights activist and former Minis-

ter of Education of Mozambique, Graca Machel. Other guests of

honor included Former President of Botswana, Sir Ketumile Masire

and his wife, Lady Gladys Masire, Mikko Kuustonen, United Nations

Goodwill Ambassador for Finland and Goedele Likens, United Na-

tions Goodwill Ambassador for Belgium.

Right: Mpule welcoming Nelson Mandela, former President of the

Republic of South Africa, to Botswana at Sir Seretse Khama In-

ternational Airport.

Left: Mpule play-

ing koi, skipping

rope, with youth

after addressing

them on positive

behavioral change

and the conse-

quences of HIV/

AIDS at the Bot-

swana National

Youth Council

headquarters in

Gaborone. The

MPULE foundation created innovative approaches to engaging youth

on HIV/AIDS, ensuring that safe spaces were provided for youth to

express their questions and concerns, and receive relevant information

and services in return.

Right: Mpule speaking with Joy Phumaphi, Minister of Health

(Botswana), Graca Machel, human right’s activist and former

Minister of Education (Mozambique) and Lady Gladys Masire,

former First Lady of the Republic of Botswana

The MPULE Foundation was launched under the theme “Keep Hope

Alive.” in Gaborone, Botswana. The slogan recognized the urgency of

addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in Botswana. In 1999, Botswana had

the highest HIV infection rate per capita in the world, with 1 in every

4 people aged 15-44 testing HIV positive.

Mpule adopted HIV/AIDS as her platform, and launched a historic

campaign in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Bot-

swana, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the African Youth

Alliance Botswana Project, the Botswana National Youth Council,

Youth Health Organization (YOHO), and Botswana Council of

Churches among many.

Top right: Mpule launching the campaign at a kgotla gathering in

Kang. Standing next to Mpule is the Reverend Mpho Moruak-

gomo.

The campaign started

in Gaborone and took

Mpule around an ex-

tensive tour of Bot-

swana that covered

dozens of towns, vil-

lages and remote set-

tlements including

Mochudi, Mahalapye,

Serowe, Selibe

Phikwe, Francistown,

Mathangwane, Maun,

Ghanzi, Tsabong and

Kang.

Middle right: Mpule arriving at the kgotla in Mathangwane led

by traditional dancers.

Mpule visited many

people living with

HIV/AIDS, including

prominent AIDS activ-

ist Elizabeth Kganu in

Selibe Phikwe. Mpule

was accompanied on

the visit by Mikko

Kuustonen, UN Good-

will Ambassador for

Finland, and Goedele

Likens, UN Goodwill

Ambassador for Bel-

gium. Elizabeth lost

her fight with HIV/

AIDS shortly after the

visit.

Bottom right: In the mining town of Jwaneng at the Mpule Kwe-

lagobe Children’s Center. The Center was established by DEB-

SWANA and the Government of Botswana.

Government of the Republic of Botswana

Partnerships are critical to the MPULE Foundation’s work. Our

support from the Government of Botswana has given Mpule un-

precedented access to reach and address hundreds of thousands of

elders, women, youth and other Batswana in kgotlas (traditional

meetings called and presided by the chiefs), schools, hospitals

and other community gatherings, even in the most remote parts of

Botswana.

Top right: Mpule with boys in a remote village in the Moremi

United Nations

Mpule was appointed as the United Nations Population Fund

(UNFPA) Goodwill Ambassador for Southern Africa in February

2000. In this capacity, she has addressed the World Summit on

Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, South Africa), the

United Nations Least Developed Countries (LDC) Conference

(Brussels, Belgium), the United Nations General Assembly (New

York), members of the United States Congress (Washington DC),

the United Nations World Youth Summit (Dakar Senegal), UN-

FPA Goodwill Ambassador’s Meeting (Geneva, Switzerland),

moderated an AIDS panel during the Congressional Black Caucus

and lobbied European donor governments to increase funding for

UN programs.

Right: Mpule’s appointment as a United Nations Goodwill

Ambassador at the United Nations headquarters in New York

City.

Harvard AIDS Institute

In 1999, Mpule became the first Miss

Universe to work with the Harvard

AIDS Institute. Based in New York,

Mpule also supported and partnered

with the Magic Johnson Foundation,

amFar AIDS Research, God’s Love

We Deliver, Determined Involved

Supermodels Helping to End Suffer-

ing (DISHES) and Hale House

among others. Mpule served as a

spokesperson for Bristol Myers

Squibb’s Secure the Future AIDS

Foundation. Left: Mpule attends an

amFar gala in New York City.

Bottom right: Mpule speaking at Harvard University at the

invitation of the Harvard AIDS Institute. Dr. Ric Marlink lis-

tening to Mpule speak.

Human Health Rights Activist

In 2001, Mpule was recognized for her fight against HIV/AIDS by the

International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC) which

awarded her the Jonathan Mann Human Health Rights award. She was

honored alongside Former US President Bill Clinton and the principal

administrator of the European Commission HIV programme

Top right: Mpule with Lieve Fransen, principal administrator of

the European Commission HIV/AIDS Programme after receiving

their awards from IAPAC in Chicago.

Botswana: Mpule (green dress) with His Excellency the President of

the Republic of Botswana

(second from right), His

Honor the Vice President

(extreme right), senior mem-

bers of cabinet (including

Ministers of Education;

Sports, Youth & Culture;

Presidential Affairs; Lands &

Housing, and Science, Tech-

nology & Infrastructure) in

September 2011.

Global Leader for Tomorrow

In 2003, Mpule was selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT)

by the World Economic Forum, joining nearly 500 individuals from

business, politics, public interest groups, the media, and the arts and

the sciences--including Bill Gates, former British Prime Minister Tony

Blair, Michael Dell and Bono--who have been selected since the pro-

gram’s inception in 1993.

Forum of Young Global Leaders (YGL)

In 2006, the World Economic Forum selected her as a Young Global

Leader (YGL), joining a newly formed, unique, multistakeholder com-

munity of the world’s most extraordinary leaders under 40 years who

are ready to dedicate their time and energy to jointly work towards a

better future.

Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)

The MPULE Institute is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, a

forum established by former US President William J. Clinton to help

organizations accelerate implementation of their commitments into

action.