This fundraiser is to support lesbian refugees and their children that had been living in Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya and needed to flee to Nairobi and a neighboring war torn country. We are Sue Hodes, Janice Gutman, and Tina Gianoulis, members of the Seattle chapter of the International Kakuma Lesbian Support Group. Together with activists from Germany, the UK, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe, we have been working to help lesbian refugees and their children living in Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. Conditions in the Kakuma Camp have deteriorated and it is unlivable for queer people. The lesbians and their families with whom we have been collaborating, have moved either to Nairobi or a nearby war torn country where refugee status was being processed much faster. than in Kenya. Our international funds now go to pay for rents, food and medicine in these 2 locations while our sisters wait for the necessary papers and permission to move to a safe country. So far, 4 women and their families are now safely in Canada. We are all l volunteers in our international group and all contributions go directly to our Sisters in Africa..

Our African sisters have fled extreme anti-queer attitudes in home countries such as Uganda and the Republic of Congo where their lives were in danger. Even in the Kakuma refugee camp, they continued to experience harassment and violence at the hands of other residents, police, and the UNHCR authorities who should be ensuring their safety.

While we prioritize sustaining the women and their kids we've worked with for the past 4 or 5 years, those women from Kakuma who have made it to Canada are in touch with additional lesbians and kids in Kakuma. As activists, these women in Canada will not forget or abandon others who have not made it to safety, despite all they and their kids are going through to adapt to a new country. They tell us no food and often no water is available to Kakuma camp residents. They tell us residents are passing out and being seriously ill from conditions in the camp. Any extra money we receive beyond the cost of 7 rents, medical care and food for the 14 adults and 15 children we have been helping, we will send to 6 lesbians and kids in Kakuma Camp right now.

In the understanding that our survival is tied to theirs, please contribute what you can to help the lesbians of Kakuma.