Dikembe Mutombo Foundation

Dikembe Mutombo is a 7'2" basketball superstar, a UN goodwill ambassador, and an African philanthropist extraordinaire. Mutombo has dedicated what little free time he has off the court to promoting his and others' advocacy work in Africa.

As a member of the National Basketball Association's Basketball Without Borders, Mutombo has traveled across Africa with other all-stars to witness firsthand the living conditions of many of Africa's poorest individuals, with the hope of raising global awareness and generating revenue for effective outreach programs. In 1997, he created the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to help improve the quality of life for the poor in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Just like on the basketball court, Mutombo does not shy away from a challenge. Mutombo's newest project is a $29 million hospital in Congo's capital, Kinshasa, to which he has donated $15 million. The Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named in memory of his mother, will house 300 patient beds and a state-of-the-art research facility. One of Mutombo's favorite quotes is an African proverb: "When you take the elevator up to reach the top, don't forget to send it back down so that someone else can take it to the top."