Rainbow Family Support Alliance (RFSA-Uganda) is an NGO fighting discrimination and violence of LGBT people in their families and render support to LGBT victims of family violence and banishment. The organisation was founded by a gay man who was a victim of family violence and banishment because of his sexual orientation, and he decided to start an organisation that supports LGBTI people who are being thrown out of homes by their parents and relatives.
Before RFSA-Uganda was founded, there was no LGBTI organization in Uganda committed to solving discrimination of LGBTI people within families and supporting them, but incidences of family violence were frequent. RFSA-Uganda was formed, to fill that gap
In Uganda, in churches, mosques, villages and families, people are taught that LGBT people are evil, devils, a curse from the gods. LGBT people are isolated, dismissed from schools, abused and severely beaten at home and in socializing spaces, banished from home, denied treatment in medical centers, and chased from jobs. Many LGBT people live in hiding and many commit suicide.
In 2017 and 2018, RFSA-Uganda received 188 requests for emergency evacuations due to LGBT people being beaten, denied food and education, locked in houses, etc.
This year, the Circle is supporting RFSA-Uganda to implement a range of activities:
- Reuniting banished LGBT people with their families
- Rehabilitating LGBT people who have been traumatized and psychologically broken
- Improving the lives of LGBT people in poverty by deploying entrepreneurial activities, eg making soap and other products.
- Because of diet supplies by the project, LGBT people living with HIV will be supported into a healthier life
- Parent support groups will be set up made up of family members from families that have LGBT people and their friends and these support groups shall provide encouragement, support, counseling and information on LGBT issues to other families
- Security trainings, booklets on security, and sensitization sessions to parents
- Increased protection for LGBT people from police and local village leaders by providing information sessions
- Seeking positive statements from religious leaders from different churches and mosques
We are proud to be able to support RFSA-Uganda in their important work. Read this for more information.