Former President George W. Bush has a new mission : helping those with the least in Africa . He has stayed largely out of the limelight since his second term as U.S. president ended in 2008 . But on another continent , thousands of miles from the politics and infighting of Washington , Bush is quietly burnishing a humanitarian legacy that may in some people 's eyes outweigh the controversies sparked by his time in office . Opinion : George W. Bush 's legacy is on the mend . He and his wife , Laura , are in Africa this week , where they helped renovate a cancer screening clinic in Zambia . The clinic , which is designed help women fight cervical cancer , builds on the former president 's work fighting HIV/AIDS on the continent . While he was in office , Bush set up a plan -- the President 's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief -- that made a massive investment in antiretroviral drugs and dramatically reduced the number of AIDS deaths in Africa . `` I 'm really proud of the American people for their generosity , '' he told CNN in an exclusive interview . `` I wish Americans knew how many lives were saved . Someday , they will . '' CNN exclusive : George W. Bush on AIDS , Mandela , Snowden . Bush got his own hands dirty working on the refurbishment of the clinic -- a sign , he said , of his commitment to the cause . `` I 'm here to serve and I believe strongly that with power and wealth comes a duty to serve the least , '' he said . `` Our purpose is to elevate the need for screening for cervical cancer throughout the continent of Africa . '' The renovated clinic opened Monday as a cervical cancer screening and treatment center , and the Bushes hope it will help save the lives of thousands of women . `` It breaks your heart to realize that such hope was given to communities throughout the continent of Africa because of antiretrovirals and then women are dying of cervical cancer -- so there 's hope and then there 's despondency , '' George Bush said . `` We wanted to help make sure that despondency did n't settle in . '' Bush at his best . Bush 's harshest critics might be surprised by this side of the former president . His shirt splattered with paint from the project , he appeared genuinely happy about doing manual labor . He was joking , jovial and genuinely happy to be there . Bush was relaxed as he spoke with CNN , saying that after an extended period out of the limelight he feels like a tortoise sticking its head out of its shell . The former president is aware that his legacy will be tied to the Iraq War , but he wants people to know what he is doing in Africa , too . 'History will judge ' In his comments , Bush also touched on the subject of Nelson Mandela , who is on life support in a South African hospital . `` Sometimes , there are leaders who come and go . His legacy will last for a long time , '' he said of the ailing anti-apartheid icon . Mandela had criticized him publicly about the war in Iraq , Bush said he does n't bear a grudge . `` He was n't the only guy , '' he said . `` It 's OK . I made decisions that were the right decisions . History will ultimately judge . I never held someone 's opinion against him ; I did n't look at him differently because he did n't agree with me on an issue . '' Bush also initially said he was n't bothered about his ratings in opinion polls , even if some of them now put him at a similar level to Obama . `` The only time I really cared was on Election Day , '' he said . Then , drawing laughter from his wife , he checked himself and said , `` You know , I guess it 's nice . I mean , let me rephrase that : Thank you for bringing it up . '' In any case , the former president said he does n't expect a fair assessment of his legacy in his lifetime . `` I wo n't be around , because it will take a while for the objective historians to show up , '' he said . `` So I 'm pretty comfortable with it . I did what I did ; I know the spirit in which I did it . ''
Former President George W. Bush is in Zambia with his wife , Laura . They have helped renovate a cancer screening clinic there . Hide Caption ` I believe strongly that with power and wealth comes a duty to serve the least '' `` I did what I did ; I know the spirit in which I did it , '' says Bush of his legacy .