A call to help suffering LGBTIQ refugees in Kenya

Hello world,
Hope this message finds you well.
Greetings from the COSIR team,

We appreciate the good work you’re doing towards humanity and most particularly the LGBTIQ community.

COSIR is an acronym for Community Support Initiative for Refugees; a registered LGBTIQ refugee led and centered Community Based Organization initiated early last year with a motive of engaging LGBTIQ refugees in Kenya into safe livelihood activities, Carrying out awareness and sensitization to promote equality and Co-existence. The organization also provides safe housing to the most vulnerable LGBTIQ refugees and refugees with emergency and special cases such as survivors of rape, HIV positive persons, colleagues who have been evicted from rental houses among others.

Also Read: UNHCR to cut-off Financial Assistance from LGBTIQ refugees in Nairobi

We are writing to seek a hand from your side in our work as we work hard to achieve economic independence and self-reliance among LGBTIQ refugees in Nairobi. We currently have a small poultry project which we hope to fully expand and commercialize; we also hope to start on our anticipated projects like the fast yield Modern-Tec piggery, Craft and bead work, Greenhouse and general farming. However, due to the limitedness of funds and resources the projects mentioned above are yet to kick off.

Additionally, we would like to put to your notice that the UN Refugee agency (UNHCR) in Nairobi has “withdrawn” Financial Assistance from all LGBTIQ refugees living in Nairobi; the agency’s move has put the refugees in panic mode left with almost no option. The directive has further put the refugees at risk of being arrested by authorities and law enforcers since refugees will have to struggle their way out to sustain themselves hence pushing them to involve in petty crimes and sex work which is illegal in the country and exposes refugees to STDs and HIV/AIDs. It should also be noted that LGBTIQ refugees have failed to hired because of their sexual orientation and status in the country, a few who have managed to get hired have ended up being exploited, earning peanuts, denied their pay and at times jailed as they try to demand for their pay.

Also Read; Ressetlement process for LGBTIQ refugees to delay further -says US gov't

In a statement from the agency, it called on LGBTIQ refugees to consider exploring the option of going to Kakuma refugee camp. Sadly, this is not an option refugees are willing to consider since life and situation in the camp is far worse for LGBTIQ refugees. On several occasions fellow refugees (non LGBTIQ) have attacked residency areas of LGBTIQs in the camp leaving many harmed nearly to death forcing UNHCR to air-lift them back to Nairobi. LGBTIQ refugees have no freedom of movement in the camps as they have to keep indoors keeping off from the homophobic refugee communities.

We have tried our best to engage with refugee stake holders and UNHCR to re-consider the move; however our engagements have bearded no meaningful fruits _for the UN refugee agency stresses that the move was made citing the limitedness of fund which pushed it to cut its budget by almost a half.

This is where we would like to beg for your assistance to save humanity. Any assistance rendered shall highly be appreciated.

We have an ongoing GoFundMe campaign to fundraise for the safe housing and other projects on this link; https://www.gofundme.com/CosirRefugeesHome?pc=tw_dn_cpgntopnavlarge_r&rcid=r01-151447571293-bc63b63b8c9741e8
Donations can also be made via pay pal to our Paypal Email (Cosir2020@gmail.com)

For more information and clarifications feel free to contact us via contacts below

OUR CONTACTS
Tel: +254725841090
Mob: +254727685832
Email: Cosir2020@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Google+: @COSIR Kenya
Visit our blog: www.cosirkenya.blogspot.com