Kenya: Emergency food, supplies reach LGBTQI refugees
More than 250 LGBTQI refugees at Kakuma Camp in Kenya have received emergency deliveries of donated food and sanitation supplies.
The project was organized by the U.S.-based African Human Rights Coalition in partnership with the online advocacy group All Out and the LGBTQI-friendly Refugee Coalition of East Africa (RefCEA).
Melanie Nathan, executive director of the African Human Rights Coalition, expressed gratitude to the many people who supported the effort:
Thank you from Kakuma
COVID-19 Emergency Response LGBTQI Refugees in Kakuma from ALLOUT, AHRC and RefCEA
We hope you are doing well during this extremely challenging and dichotomous time, of grief and gratitude: African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC) would like to thank all partners, donors and refugees involved in the various COVID-19 emergency related food and sanitization distributions at Kakuma Camp during April and May.
In a well-planned and coordinated effort, African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC) in partnership with ALLOUT and REFCEA, delivered hundreds of pounds of food and sanitation supplies to over 250 LGBTQI refugees in Kakuma Camp, Kenya. The distribution was facilitated through agents on the ground, reporting back the success of the initiative.
The planning for the initiative and fundraising campaign, through the auspices of ALLOUT commenced in March, at a time when we realized that COVID-19 was making its way toward the African continent and that the country would go under curfew and lockdown. Together with our partners and donors we were able to jump into action as soon as UNHCR reached out publicly, noting its concerns and funding shortages.
At its best, Kakuma Camp provides only rationed food to refugees who often do not see more than one small meal a day. We are hoping to ramp up the food deliveries as well as livelihood programs even beyond the COVID-19 emergency response. In addition together with the Coalition, we were also able to respond to Nairobi LGBTQI evictions as a matter of urgency and are now seeking a way to replenish the emergency fund, as we anticipate more evictions may occur as a result of urban refugees losing their current work.
We would also like to thank the Kenyan Government for the ongoing registration of LGBTI refugees and the police protection at Kakuma during this volatile and challenging time, as well as UNHCR for their continued endeavors.
This emergency relief will extend to the month of June, as we plan another distribution. We still need your help. Please view and share this in your social media through our online post: HERE
ONGOING DONATIONS TO ALLOUT, AHRC AND REFCEA PARTNERSHIP FOR COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE HERE
Many thanks for your continued support.
Be safe.
Mel
Melanie Nathan
Executive Director
African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC)
nathan@africanHRC.org
AfricanHRC.org
This is great work being done! Thank you for your efforts to help this vulnerable group of refugees.