There she is! Miss Stigma Free 2005!

[Bluebear]

GABORONE, Botswana -- A 22-year-old HIV-positive AIDS counselor has been crowned the winner in Botswana's annual Miss Stigma Free beauty pageant.
Cynthia Leshomo was loudly applauded by the crowd of about 500.

Leshomo said she's going to urge the government of Botswana to involve HIV-positive people in HIV/AIDS work, especially in hospitals, because she says they know how it is to live with the disease.

Her prizes include cash, an academic scholarship, beauty treatments and a computer. Organizers of the Miss Stigma Free pageant, which is now in its third year, hope the contest will show the disease does not prevent women from being beautiful and living positively.

Last year's winner, Malebogo Mongwaketse, 24, said, "I'm going around the country to talk to people to say that being an HIV positive person does not mean you have done something wrong. You are still who you are."

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/4235846/detail.html