Princy Mangalika is a Sri Lankan social activist and a
HIV/AIDS victim who is also well known for her efforts in fighting
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
infection in Sri Lanka. She is the founder of Positive Women's Network, a
NGO which helps people who are infected by the AIDS virus. In March 2019, she was acknowledged as one of twelve female change-makers in Sri Lanka by the
parliament, coinciding with
International Women's Day
International Women's Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against wom ...
.
Biography
Princy was born and raised up in
Ragama,
Western Province of Sri Lanka. In 2003, she was found to have diagnosed with HIV positive which she had contracted from her husband. She was discriminated in the society ever since becoming a victim to the disease and it inspired her to lay the foundation to the Positive Women's Network. Her husband was infected with the disease while he was working in a hotel in abroad. Her husband committed suicide due to the infection and her family was chased away by the villagers.
Career
Being ill-treated in the society, at the age of 53, she co-founded Positive Women's Network along with a HIV affected doctor
Kamalika Abeyratne in 2009 with the aim of taking care of people who are affected by the AIDS. In 2012, her organization Positive Women's Network received the Red Ribbon Award from
United Nations for the outstanding community services to the people who are diagnosed with AIDS. She was also honored with the Unsung Heroine award as a part of the
Ada Derana Sri Lankan of the Year
Ada Derana Sri Lankan of the Year (Sinhala:අද දෙරණ වසරේ ශ්රී ලාංකිකයා), is an annual award presented to Sri Lankans who have raised Sri Lanka's profile in the international arena through their care ...
in 2016.
See also
*
List of HIV-positive people
This is a categorized, alphabetical list of people who are known to have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the pathogen that causes AIDS, including those who have died. AIDS is a pandemic. In 2007, an estimated 33.2&n ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mangalika, Princy
Living people
Sri Lankan women activists
Sri Lankan people with disabilities
Sri Lankan feminists
Sri Lankan Roman Catholics
People from Western Province, Sri Lanka
People with HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS activists
Year of birth missing (living people)