Images from Botswana
Photos by Mark Edwards

In Francistown, known as the AIDS capital of the world, a group of adolescent peer health educators hold a special briefing session for Mpule.
The Botswana YWCA in Gaborone, has launched a teen mother’s programme, which provides day care for infants and young children, while their mothers’ finish secondary school. Mpule Kwelagobe, former Miss Universe and UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, talks with members of the programme.
At the Gaborone West Youth Center, Dr. Dintle Dikeledi examines a 13 year old boy who has come in for a routine check-up.
The Coping Center for People Living with HIV/AIDS holds weekly meetings in Gaborone’s main reference hospital. The purpose is to provide support and care for women living with the HIV virus that causes AIDS.
Mpule interacts with members of the peer health educators group in Francistown.
Mpule talks with 23 year old Dipuo Selao (on left) who is dying from AIDS.
Children are Botswana’s future. The Government, donor agencies and NGOs have targeted young people in a nation-wide AIDS prevention campaign.
At a research lab set up by the Botswana-Harvard University Partnership for HIV Research and Education, Ying We works as a research assistant. The lab is attempting to find a way to block or inhibit the transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child.
A $57 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation supports an integrated adolescent health programme, which focuses on HIV/AIDS prevention in four African countries – Botswana, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. Here representatives from the main implementing partners – UNFPA, PATH and Pathfinder International meet outside the UN headquarters in Gaborone. Pictured are from left to right: Kunio Waki, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director, Mpule Kwelagobe, Fama Ba, UNFPA Director of the Africa Division, Botswana’s Minister of Health, Joy Phumaphi, Christopher Elias, President of PATH and Elizabeth Lule from Pathfinder’s office in Nairobi.


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