1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.