Africa LGBT we have funded (partial list)
$115 to Aderemi Glory Toluwanimi Justina, lesbian in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
She says: “After I went to the university, I am very proud to have left Christianity, since then I sleep better and no longer feel guilty about my sexuality, I think for myself and fully love and respect everybody regardless.”
$114 to Remilekun Funmilayo Ojo, Lesbian in Lagos, Nigeria
She says: “Thank you for helping us. I am so happy there are people that really care. Maybe someday the LGBT community can gain their freedom and we'll be free… I want to be a human rights activist.”
$115 to Theresa Clement Ekanem, lesbian in Ibesikpo, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria.
She says: “I want to create a YouTube channel for individuals who are queer in this society that tries hard to quish us, to share experiences, struggles and create awareness and enlightenment, and to let people know that they can be whoever they want to be without fear of stigmatization.”
$114 to Yemi Ayobami of Lagos, Nigeria
She says, “I am an atheist, I am 28, I became a lesbian when I was in secondary girls-only school. I spent most of the six years in that school with girls we used to bathe together in the school hostel. That was how I became a lesbian. I am so proud and happy about it even though my parents and my siblings are against it. 90% of Nigerians are against LGBT - they say it's against African culture and traditions - they say that to justify their hatred for LGBT people.”
$115 to Esther Idorenyin Ekere, lesbian in Lagos, Nigeria
She says, “The funds will be used by me to start a LGBT support group in my locality. I want to let people like me understand that it is OK to be who they are.”
$115 to Margaret Natasha Leleguya in Naivasha town, Kenya
She says, “I have been a lesbian for five years and my own family don't want anything to do with me. Society also says I am a bad influence to their children, sometimes it gets lonely. The government also has not fully accepted our sexuality.”
$114 to Abdullahi Ibrahim in Kaduna, Nigeria, for his phone charging business
He says, “Growing up in northern Nigeria as atheist and sexually/ gender queer was super difficult and created a lot of internal battles and self doubt about who I am and my purpose on this earth. Between the religion and culture I was brought up in, I was taught being lgbt was an unforgviable sin and was shunned by my Muslim community if I continue my lifestyle, which made me feel guilt as a child for just being myself. However, in the past two years I have gained so much confidence in my person and how I present myself and a large portion of the credit goes to the wonderful community of queers I have befriended through Facebook and Instagram. Realizing that I’m valid no matter what I have been told since childhood has tremendously helped me in accepting my queerness. I became a humanist atheist because I realized Muslim is a homophobic religion, it threatens my LGBT family with death punishment and I know queerness is a natural phenomenon, how does God create gay people and then threaten to punished them? This is illogical. I spent my teenage years praying for god to make me straight person, at the end I realized prayer can't be an answer. Now I am unapologetic gay, humanist atheist.”
$114 to Damilola Samson Kayode from Lagos, Nigeria
He says, “Being a gay man in Nigeria… I have to hide because I can get killed anytime for it. Especially those of us that came out of a Muslim background but with the help of some Atheists and Humanist speaking for us I believe someday we will be free.”
$115 to Emediong Jacob Dan, lesbian in Akwa Ibom State
She says: “I intend to create a safe space for ladies especially lesbian ladies”
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