Ewuraba - Professional African Women with Class and Style

An Inspiration to All African Women

Bhatupe Mhango’s experience as an HIV-positive young professional makes her a keen and dynamic advocate for the rights of people living with HIV.  She is very interested in the link between political processes, HIV and development.  Articulate, opinionated and poised, Bhatupe is the first international coordinator of the UN advocacy initiative called UN Plus.  UN Plus is a workplace initiative within the United Nations system that promotes the rights of HIV-positive employees and advocates for their equality in workplace policies, provides them with support mechanisms by uniting them in solidarity with each other across work fields, UN agencies, duty stations and regions of the world.  Prior to this Bhatupe worked with UNDP Malawi.  Bhatupe has lead, managed and supported a number of activities aimed at de-stigmatization and equipping marginalised groups with the relevant skills for their empowerment.

Prior to her UN career Bhatupe worked with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF), an international, German non-governmental organization, first as its Program Officer then as its Acting National Coordinator for the Malawi office.  Among other functions, Bhatupe was involved in the organization and financial support toward the Presidential Prayer Breakfasts in the country that were aimed at promoting peace during the election phase of 2004.  She has participated in a number of constitutional and election results analysis conferences and publications in the post-election phase.  She has worked with a number of politicians in Malawi and was involved in KAF’s establishment of the Young Politicians Union.

Between 2004 and 2005, Bhatupe used her strong negotiation, social entrepreneurial and networking skills during her term of office as the Chairperson for the Young Women Leaders’ Network (YWLN) in Lilongwe, Malawi. YWLN is an association of young, professional women from various fields which aims at raising the profile of Malawian professionals as well as to instill confidence in young girls in schools.  YWLN receives support from a number of funders but noteworthy is the support it received in 2005 from the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) that continues to empower young women to reach their academic and personal goals.

Bhatupe is the author of the devotional booklet titled, ‘Positively Positive’ (Kachere Series, 2006) and produced together with radical productions a documentary titled ‘Open Up!’ which details the plight of young girls vulnerability to HIV.  In her spare time, Bhatupe enjoys music and is involved with the Toastmaster’s Club of Geneva, an international public speaking, leadership and communications development social club, in which she is serving at present as Club President (http://intergeneva.freetoasthost.net/ ).  She emerged second place in the Toastmasters division contest in Zurich in 2008 and she is definitely one to keep an eye on!  At 29 years of age, Bhatupe is a seasoned young professional who has traversed many difficult, personal setbacks to emerge as a notable leader with a strong and global voice that has empowered many.

Read More About Bhatupe at:

1. Living with HIV: defying the stigma (by Charbel Ragy) http://www.un.org/works/sub3.asp?lang=en&id=53
2. UN Plus Meets UN Secretary General http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2007/20070522_UN_plus_GA.asp
3. UN Plus Global Coordinator – Bhatupe Mhango http://www.unplus.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=78