COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

Dear Donors,

The graasoot LGBTIQ community in Uganda continues to face persecution and economic hardship, exacerbated by the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023. Despite these challenges, grassroots advocates are stepping up to defend human rights, support their peers, and create safe spaces. However, they lack the resources and capacity-building opportunities needed to sustain their efforts. Investing in empowering local advocates is key to strengthening community resilience and ensuring long-term impact.

At Mbarara Rise Foundation, we are committed to equipping grassroots activists with leadership, advocacy, and economic empowerment skills. Our capacity-building programs provide training in human rights awareness, financial literacy, and sustainable income-generation activities such as tailoring and tiling. By empowering local advocates, we enable them to support their communities effectively while reducing economic vulnerability. Many of our trainees have gone on to educate others, provide emergency support, and advocate for the rights of LGBTIQ individuals at the local level.

However, lack of funding remains a major obstacle. Many advocates operate under extreme conditions, facing threats, economic hardship, and limited access to resources. Without financial support for training, safe meeting spaces, and stipends for grassroots leaders, their work becomes unsustainable. Additionally, legal restrictions make it increasingly difficult for organizations like ours to provide uninterrupted mentorship and skills development.

To strengthen community resilience, we need urgent funding to expand capacity-building programs and provide financial support to grassroots advocates. With adequate resources, we can scale up our efforts, train more local leaders, and equip them with the skills and tools needed to sustain change in their communities. We call on donors and partners to invest in grassroots empowerment—because when local advocates thrive, the entire community becomes stronger and more resilient.

Kind regards.