Relief for Arrested LGBTQ People in Uganda

Hello everyone, my name is Mari and I am doing research in Uganda concerning gay rights. Yesterday, 44 people have been arrested while attending a gay marriage ceremony in Kampala. One of the persons who has been helping me with my research was attending but was able to escape, he is now in the hospital as he injured his leg while fleeing from the police. Many others are stuck in the police cell where they are humiliated by Ugandan police officers. We need money to bail them out, but that will only be the start of the difficulties that will follow. These people were exposed in the national media, meaning that they will probably lose their jobs and support of friends and families, if they still had them.

My dear friend K.  went to something similar last year, when the LGBT shelter where he was staying was raided by the police. Then and now, the official charges that will be pressed against them are on te grounds of transgressing COVID-19 measurements, for not wearing masks and being too many people together. The global pandemic has served as the perfect excuse for the Ugandan government to violate queer rights and human rights in general.

I want to point out the fact that Ugandans are peaceful and loving people and anti-gay sentiments in Uganda are heavily funded by a Christian-American agenda, who work closely with some corrupted Ugandan politicians. Organisations from the US pump millions of dollars in the country to endorse their homophobic and anti-abortion agenda. The Fellowship Foundation is the biggest spender, sending more than $20 million dollar to Uganda between 2008 and 2018. Homophobia is not African, it's cultural neocolonialism at its best.

There are a lot of organisations around that are doing good work to help LGBTQ people. Especially when something atrocious happens like a big raid and arrests of many people, a lot of funds are raised and devoted to their cause. Sadly, when the novelty wears off, a lot of people find themselves neglected and struggling to pay for rent or food. I met my friend K. when he was at a retreat in a fancy hotel. He was there with 20 people who were arrested and spent 50 days in jail last year. Everything was paid for by a big donor and they were able to live big for a week. Yet, after that he had no place to go home to and didn't know how he was going to eat the next day. With this fundraiser I'd like to help some people get on their feet, find them a place to stay, pay for their school fees or help them set up a business. In this way, I hope they don't have to be dependent on donors anymore in the future.