This blog will document the struggles in the refugee camp, give important updates, and inform you on how your donations have helped.
Posts
-
Good news
We are happy to say that the Canadian government has granted 34 of the refugees permanent relocation to Canada.
We are hopeful that more will be allowed to follow them in the near future. As it stands, the refugees in the camp are still in danger and still need donations to pay for food and other necessities.
Furthermore, the refugees who are Canada-bound are in need of weather and climate appropriate clothing, such as parkas and winter boots, as well as basic luggage to store said clothes in.
Having these things with them will go a long way in making this difficult yet undeniably necessary relocation as comfortable and dignified as possible.
In order to fund these purchases, a campaign has been created on chuffed.org, which will be linked below. At the time of writing, the campaign has reached less than 8.5% of its goal, so any and all donations will help more than you think.
Please donate whatever you can, however much you can, and share the campaign on all platforms.
You will be making a real difference.
-
Ashley’s BBC Interview Sparks International Attention and Danger
Our community leader, Ashley, a courageous transgender human rights defender, recently gave a powerful interview to the BBC that has since gone viral. Ashley represents a group of over 400 LGBTQ+ refugees currently living in South Sudan a country where being queer is not only criminalized but brutally punished.
In the interview, Ashley spoke out boldly about the terrifying realities queer refugees face daily: harassment, detention, torture, and the constant threat of death simply for existing. She also shed light on how the ongoing civil war in South Sudan has made an already life-threatening situation even more unbearable for LGBTQ+ individuals.
The world responded. The interview sparked global outrage and put pressure on the South Sudanese government to acknowledge the persecution of queer refugees. But instead of bringing safety, it has made Ashley a target. She is now being hunted by homophobic authorities for speaking the truth.
Ashley’s life is in imminent danger.
She urgently needs support both to continue her life-saving advocacy and to relocate to a safer place where she can live freely and protect her community from afar. We are calling on allies, human rights organizations, and compassionate individuals around the world to stand with Ashley and help us fight for the safety and dignity of LGBTQ+ refugees in South Sudan.
Please share her story. Advocate. Donate. Act.
Together, we can help Ashley survive and keep hope alive for hundreds of queer lives depending on her voice. -
Important update
I wanted to give you a heartfelt and urgent update about what’s happening with me and my queer refugee community here in South Sudan. Recently, the government gave us just 10 days to leave Gorom Refugee Camp, threatening forced removal at gunpoint if we don’t comply. The situation has become very tense and frightening. The authorities have made it clear that they do not want any LGBTQ+ people in Gorom. They’ve labeled us “illegal” and insist we vacate without offering any safe alternative.We’ve been working around the clock trying to find a way forward. Thankfully, a neighboring country had initially offered temporary refuge, and we began raising funds to move there. With the support of our friend Mason in the U.S., we successfully raised funds through GoFundMe which gave us hope. But then, due to our videos going viral on TikTok and catching the attention of both the government and local homophobic individuals, the situation worsened.We’ve since made the decision to go private on TikTok for our safety, but we do not regret raising awareness. We still stand firm and committed to telling the world what’s happening.More recently, there have been promising developments. Thanks to increasing international pressure including messages and calls from the global queer community UNHCR was pushed to act. After several meetings with them and even with Amnesty International, they have convinced the government to let us relocate to Juba, instead of being expelled from the country. The government has apologized for the threats and agreed to let UNHCR process our cases further for possible resettlement in countries like Canada and Australia, who have shown interest in taking some of us in.Right now, we’re waiting for urban documentation from UNHCR to be finalized hopefully by Monday or Tuesday so we can officially move to Juba. We’re trying to secure housing before that, which is a challenge due to the high cost of living and the fact that UNHCR is not covering any of these relocation costs. Thankfully, we’ve started receiving some of the funds we raised and are beginning to make progress. IT is still a very tough and uncertain time, but your support and that of people like you continues to give us strength. Please keep standing with us, sharing our story, and being part of this fight for survival.
-
What we are facing
The refugees are living in extremely poor and scary conditions in a war zone. They lack housing, medical care, food, water, and basic human rights. Furthermore they are attacked almost every day, raped, and even murdered for simply existing. On top of this they lost the little aid they had previously. No one, not even children are sparred from these conditions!
Individual stories and testimonies will soon be shared.
-
Asking for an Easter
As queer refugees living in a camp, we don’t get many moments of joy. But on Easter, we try.
We gather. We cook. We eat. We laugh. We remember what it feels like to be human if only for a night.This year, we’re trying to raise $800 for a simple community dinner.
A hot meal. A cold drink. A break from the pain.
A celebration of survival, love, and chosen family.If you’ve ever shared a holiday meal with people you love, you know how powerful it is.
Please help us make that happen.
A donation. A moment of kindness. It truly means the world. -
Urgent Update
The refugee camp was attacked under the night. The camp is located in a very homophobic region and are attacked often. Members of the camp have been injured and need medical care. They need money for two medical procedures which will cost $1800
Save Queer African Refugees 