Prudence Mabele One in Nine Campaign and Positive Women’s Network Johannesburg, South Africa HIV Positive Activist

Prudence is an HIV positive activist, and a leading advocate for people living with HIV & AIDS. She is widely known as one of the first black women to declare publicly her HIV positive status in South Africa. In 1996, Prudence founded the Positive Women’s Network, an organization focused on empowerment of HIV positive women. She was instrumental in the formation of the South Africa branch of the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA). Since 2007, Prudence has been one of the key figures in the South African One in Nine Campaign, which advocates for policy changes to address violence against women and HIV/AIDS. A traditional healer, Prudence has also worked extensively with local grassroots’ groups and communities. “HIV/AIDS will not stop me from achieving my goals and inspiring others to reach theirs.”