Category Archives: The Stories

Hello FNUR, needless to say I could be dead and forgotten if you hadn’t work so hard and struggle to get me out of eastern Uganda where there was likely to be a massive massacre of all those suspected to gay. I remember very well and those memories haunt me up to today.

As many organizations were sitting in their Air conditioned offices in the city, you didn’t want to waste time to save us from the danger, you only asked for the important questions.

Is it real?
Are we at risk?
Are there people within the area who can help us escape?

Once all the facts were gathered within just less than 12 hrs we were rescued. Now that’s practical help, that’s love. I remember crying tears of joy as we walked the border line crossing into another country where we were processed together with others and finally freedom, hope, peace of mind and joy were renewed. We knew we are leaving Uganda, some knew we left for good, some left loved ones, others left haters but one thing is for sure, we were not loved in Uganda because we were born gay, we were born different.

Even if the law changes for the best today, I can’t go back to Uganda, I have decided even to change my nationality from Ugandan to Rwandan, am studying my french and happily working on a wage system.

There are hundreds of straight Ugandan people who come to Rwanda every day for work and business but I do my best to avoid them. They are haters and I am sure if identified they can harm any gay people. So am staying calm and just minding my business.
I am now dating a loving and caring man who is helping me start a new life.

Thanks so much FNUR.

Lots of love, one love.
AK

[fruitful_sep]

Please help Friends New Underground Railroad support other people like AK.
Donate here: http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/donate/

You can download AK’s story here.

Born in a powerful Christian family, my dad has planted many churches in and around Uganda. I was raised in church. My dad at 59 is still a powerful pastor in some of the biggest churches. I don’t wana expose the “fool” right now as am still trying to forgive him and do away with hate and pain in my heart.

I went to Christian schools founded on Christian principles. However all my life I knew I am not like any other gal. This made me withdraw a lot from socialising with fellow teenage girls of my age. My mother noticed so early and she always talked to me. Till I told her that mummy, I’m sexually attracted to fellow girls, she became so mad at me. But by high school I had known my sexual orientation and I wanted it to appear known to the family. I tried all sorts of help thinking it might be a problem, but before joining university I made peace with my heart that I am a lesbian, having attempted several suicide attempts because of lack of support and care, I said it’s all well, I am a lesbian and that’s it.

Stubbornly during a family meeting I went with my ex-gal (RIP – Sharon who committed suicide in 2013 when we separated) and introduced her to the family as my girl. I thought my braveness will force the family to accept me, I knew dad and mummy loved me. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to pull this off. We were flogged and chased away, never to return. This was in 2011 and that’s the last time I saw a blood family member. We changed towns, moving from one town to another till we decided that life isn’t for us in towns. We decided to settle in the rural, even in the rural sometimes word could get around as the community saw us as strange.

As we were considering to go and settle in Northern Uganda, seek employment and try to live a normal life, Sharon took her life. We were not getting along considering the countless problems we were going through. This was so hard on me and I decided to move to another rural area targeting areas where people are most likely not to mind me.

Financial struggles reached a limit where I even considered entering prostitution but the thought of having to sleep with a man made me feel as if the world was ending. In Uganda unless you are in the city it’s hard to get a lesbian willing to pay for sex.

As I was still being bothered by all those troubles, hell broke loose and shit was more tight than I can even talk here. The gay bill was signed into law and my father didn’t waste time to preach about it and how God gave him the powers to chase me from the family, clan, and later alone get me banished from the community. He was happy that he hadn’t heard from me. A secret incloset church member updated me once in a while.

A simple mistake got me exposed in the rural place where I was staying, and the village took it upon themselves to beat me to confess that I am a lesbian. But since I had made contact with a fearless activist, I will call him SB, who introduced me to Tony some time back, I directly jumped on a bodaboda [motorcycle taxi] and went to their hiding place. I was welcomed. It disturbs me that Tony passed on, having worked to save many gays from death together with FNUR. They viewed my case with so many questions but through their connections they researched and knew my case was real. FNUR provided the transport and an escape route and I left Uganda.

In Sept, I was given a working and stay Visa in UEA and a one Rob paid for my airticket.

Am now working in one of the world largest malls, I have housing, a job, feed well and have hope. It’s so hot in Dubai compared with Uganda, I used to think it’s so conservative but people here are so busy and just mind their business. When the storm settles, governments change, laws turned down, I will return to Uganda one day and tell dad that you were an asshole.

Thanks FNUR – you are the heroes, Uganda needs more of FNUR, these are servants who only need you to be out of danger. I think many foundations and charities have a lot to learn from FNUR. They help while giving you respect. I have met a few other lesbians who escaped through other organisations but gosh, it’s gross, they tell their ordeal, how they were made feel inhuman, they had to show that they are lesbians, some even to an extent of showing their privacy to people who wanted to take advantage of them. Some even had to bribe to be accepted, visible help but maybe a few connections, they had to hand in their passwords of the social media and emails, bring pictures. That was so bad, others just decided to give up, some went into hiding, some took their lives. That’s why I have all praises for FNUR. Thanks once again, I wish to wish you a happy 2015 if we get there but with God’s love we shall made it to 2015

Cheers folks
R

###

Download R’s story in PDF format here.

Please make a donation to support the work of Friends New Underground Railroad so that we can help other people like R. http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/donate/

Thanks!

Date: 30th Oct 14

This is just part of my story.

If somebody out there asked me if the Anti-gay Law (which was later over turned) hasn’t caused a lot of damage to destroy lives, I could simply ask the person to go Uganda and have a firsthand information and experience. Am a lesbian, who lived a secret life since my teenager days. Even when everybody was talking about gay issues in Uganda, I always showed less interest not to blow my cover. But in August 2014 when the Ugandan High Court over turned the Anti-gay Law on technical grounds, I couldn’t hide my joy, I publicly celebrated thinking that freedom has come to Uganda and we can now leave freely. What I didn’t know is that its not the police or the government which was witch-hunting the gays and lesbians instead it was the public, the common people, families and “friends.”  My celebration didn’t only attract the haters but people who wanted me dead.

But in July I had heard about the FNUR who were working with local frontline activities. I contacted one of the contact persons, I was assessed along side other 26 fellow lesbians. All the facts about our case were gathered and within 2 days we were on to a neighboring country.

My intention was to end up in Europe, but the politics, the expenses and the red tape, made me change my mind and instead I applied for an open working visa in UAE. It’s a strict world here but at least am working and rebuilding my life, in future when I save enough I might apply for other more free countries like US or Denmark.

I want to thank all the QUAKERS who unite themselves under FNUR for saving my life, without them I could be dead. Thanks FNUR, you are my heroes.

Lots of love
Maureen Nankya

###

Please make a donation to support the work of Friends New Underground Railroad so that we can help other people like Maureen.

http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/donate/
Thanks!

Download a PDF version of Maureen’s story here.

Am OB. On August 12th we were arrested with my boyfriend KY we were taken to police and held for 3 days, so how news made it to the radio station that two gay boys have all along been in police cells but not yet presented to the court (which is common in Uganda.)

So a mob organized and stormed the police post, they wanted to lynch us. These included thugs, organized gangs, Boda-Boda men etc, the Police officer in charge realized that the situation was running out of hand, and somehow he didn’t want to be responsible for our death, so he released us and told us to run and hide.

Using the behind door we run out and disappeared in the bushes where we stayed for 2 days.

I gathered myself in the night of the second day to make contact with people who can help. I went to a phone booth and called GM who had also been looking for us because he heard it on the radio. So GM asked me to disclose location, and then another Organization which was giving support arranged to pick us up. Since everything about our plight was known, late T arranged our escape from Uganda.

I am now settled in Kigali Rwanda where am working as a plumber. Am more free and this couldn’t have been possible without the support through FNUR.

##

Please make a donation to support the work of Friends New Underground Railroad so that we can help other people like OB.
http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/donate/
Thanks!

Download a PDF version of OB’s story here.

Am Robert and I love happy endings … 25th November 2014 at Oslo Norway

A Friends New Underground Railroad Story

What could I do without FNUR? I don’t know! Maybe I could be dead and forgotten.

I am called Robert, am one of the first beneficiaries of FNUR when it was first established early this year.

I was attacked by a group of thugs who call themselves “The City Gate Keepers” it’s a criminal gang but appreciated and respected in Uganda because they are fighting the gay persons. So when I was beaten up and left almost dead, there was no point in me reporting to the police, I just realized that it was time for me to run. I can’t remember all the facts because I arrived in Nairobi Kenya in an Ambulance, I was treated at Imara Health Center and later the University Hospital the medical bill was in thousands of dollars and the FNUR was there for me.

My other friend I could call Rob, was also there for me. Luck was on my side, after completely healing and recovering I got a visa to France and still my airticket was paid by Rob. I settle in France and later on fell in love with Kristoffer and on Oct/14 we got married. In November because of my marriage ties with Kristoffer we moved to Oslo Norway.

My life has changed and I have hope and looking at the future. Thanks FNUR for all you have done for me. I love happy endings.

##

(Note: FNUR funded Robert’s passage out of Uganda. Others paid his hospital bill.)

Download a pdf copy of “Am Robert and I love happy endings … 25th November 2014 at Oslo Norway” here: http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/AmRobertAndIloveHappyEndings.pdf

Please make a donation to support the work of Friends New Underground Railroad: http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/donate/

Thank you!

Breaking the Silence – The Story of MK.

A Friends New Underground Railroad Story – December 1, 2014

Finally I break the silence! What took me so long to speak out? I don’t know but I was just taking my time, waiting for the right opportunity. I have suffered so many internal struggles, so many fears, so many setbacks and failures. I have had 15 attempts on my life, so by organized gangs, some random attacks, some by blood relates, some by dates from hell. I can run short of fingers counting how many times I have contemplated suicide as a solution to my problem, I have tried taking by life by a rope and rat poison. I have changed religions several times till I decided to become a humanist. Well, it has taken me long to find internal peace and comes to terms with life as it.

I got involved with a small rural gay Organization in 2008, after saving 2 years in Luzira Prison for homosexuality related charges, a fearless frontline human rights activist I won’t mention here had started this small Organization in Eastern Uganda, “AW” had followed my case from the very start, he even got for me a lawyer to help but we lost the case and I went to jail, where I served for 2 years, on my release AW made arrangements so that I have a safe place to stay and he got me involved within the operation of the Organization. This work gave me love and relative peace of mind, though we were doing it at extreme risk. Later on AW had to run out of Uganda and went and settled in Canada though love, care and passion for the LGBTq work and what was happening in Uganda at the time, forced him to return to Uganda to add his voice and fight the then AHB, though he still lost and it was signed into law and again it was time for him and me to run out of Uganda.

My dedication and commitment to work, saw me become one of the pillars of this Organization, at one point early this year, several LGBTq people were being rounded up, beaten, killed in cold blood, forced into hiding, imprisoned, mob attacks, mob justice, blackmail, exposing etc.

We had to do something yet fundraising for LGBTq Organizations in a country like Uganda is not easy but we needed resources to keep our operations going on. That’s women fate brought us into contact with the likes of Levi and Gabi who are quakers based in Washington US. Through an organized meeting there was a break through when FNUR accepted to fund our operations to help with the escape of LGBTq at extreme and real immediate risk. We set up base in a neighboring country to coordinate those arriving from Uganda. They were being processed by or ground “home” team in Uganda and being sent to us in the dead of night. Earlier in the years AW had established a working relationship with an established transporter, Michael, who is involved in tours and travel. Michael is a special character, he is one business man with a heart for people and the world could be a better place with more people like him. He used his extensive experience and local knowledge to make sure that all the passengers in movement always reached us in the neighboring country without any problem. He is a dedicated man working with drivers who share his love and passion for humans. He worked with AW to create several escape routes, got godfathers within the immigrations and police (okay call them corrupt officials but they are helping us in times of need) Every after 2 or 3 days I was always at the bus terminal receiving passengers who have escaped death in Uganda. I could always welcome them, getting them counseling, a place to stay and then stay the long, painful and unforgiving process of securing them visas to their final destination, once they received visas I could again look around for funders who could pay for their tickets. Some of the funders were strangers; some were not strangers but wanted to act strangers. I could like to recognize a one couple whose family moved from Netherlands to Canada way many years ago. This couple I could call I & R …. donated tickets and money, in this way they were supplementing the work of the Quakers – FNUR who could help with the escape to the nearest safe place.

While I was still in office handling the affairs of this operation, we managed to safe over 260 clients, who we call passengers. Most of them are now settling in other countries around the world. I feel so happy that none of our passengers made it to the UN Refugee Camps, we operated so different from the long red tapes and processes of other refugee operations, our policy was simple, does so and so a client want to leave, is he or she at extreme risk and danger, is the danger immediate, is he or she gay? Does our transporter have fuel in his van or bus, are all the facts real and very well researched and verified? Then we are good to go. This kind of simplicity attracted world attention and the haters wanted to fail the program. Some thought a lot of many was being misused but when I see our clients establishing them several in Canada, Netherlands, Rwanda, South Africa, UAE, Norway, France, Germany, Sweden name it, am like yeeee we made it, thanks to the FNUR who set the ball rolling.

I am 100% confident to state that without FNUR made gay men and women from many rural parts of Uganda could be dead, forced to take their own lives, in jail or injured. You FNUR rock and I admire you. What you did and still doing in remarkable.

Having worked as one of the conductors and also as a “Bus stage manager” I was also at risk so I time came when I decided to leave, I traveled to Canada when everybody didn’t expect me, I wanted to be in a free country on arrival I realized things were not going to be the same and a lot has changed by the government in power when it comes to immigration laws and asylum seekers. I don’t like to be slowed down, considering that I was likely to in incarceration or some form of detention I was like nope, I have already suffered enough, I can’t and I won’t stay in Canada, I contact a friend and I was able to apply for a working Visa in UAE. I am confident enough to say that despite the punishing heat and the conservative laws in UAE, nobody minds me, nobody cares that maybe am different and I have a nice job, nice accommodation and making friends who don’t judge.

Without FNUR this couldn’t have been possible.

I enjoyed working with FNUR and given time I will start giving back to FNUR for they saved my life

Thanks, thank you so Much

M.K

##

Download a PDF file of this story here.

Appeal! Fund Ten Lesbian Women Hiding for Two Months Out of Uganda!

There are ten lesbian women have been hiding for two months with help from a conductor while waiting for the funds to support their escape from Uganda.

Please make a donation to support the work of Friends New Underground Railroad!
http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/donate/

A Friends New Underground Railroad Story

I go by the name of Nandi. Am 28yrs of age and a professional teacher of Chemistry. I used to teach at a Catholic school ([name] Senior Secondary School) Being a science teacher was lucky to get a job soon after completing my bachelor’s degree at [name] University. I was assigned to teacher Senior 2 and Senior 4.

Early this year my life changed forever. I have always guided my personal secrets because I used to live in a very homophobic country. Living in such a hostile environment I took no chances, only fellow bisexual girlfriends and a few lesbians knew that I was bisexual. I covered it up very well right from my earlier days as a teenager. I realized that I was different from other girls when I was about 15yrs, I was always attracted to both girls and boys.

As during my second year at [name] university, I chanced on dating a boy it was love but still I had several girl friends for open relationship and I have a confession to make I loved having sex with girls more than boys. I stayed with A for years and when I had just started working I got pregnant and A was happy, he wanted to make our relationship official but I told him, no please. Though he wasn’t so happy with my negative we were still happy. I lived a double live of having a full time boyfriend and father of Isaac my son in the house and at one again having a girlfriend, a lover – V, loved so much and I could do anything for her. I suffered inside, I decided to confide in A about my secret life so I can be a little more free

As the news of signing the Anti – gay law was running in every media across the global on the 14th of Feb, I was on a romantic dinner with A at Garden hotels at the Nile. We enjoyed ourselves and after hugging and kissing him, I opened up to him! He laughed it off and said it’s a joke, it can’t be true. He asked for proof, so I showed him pictures, short videos, messages and recorded conversations with V. A almost fainted. He went silent and walked away from the hotel gardens, he went to his parents and his parents called him by the time I reached home, everything was different. He asked me to leave immediately, of course I resisted but when security and mobs picked interest I had to run away, the following morning I went to explain to the headmaster of the school where I was teaching but he had already reached the news, I wasn’t asked to resign or given any letters of terminating my contract but asked to leave. All my students were told and some fellow teachers tried to make it though I was even trying to hit on them and also sleep with female students

I wasn’t given a chance to even hug my son, there was nowhere to run. That’s when I remembered a small charity where we once went for team building and socialization one evening with V. They welcomed me with open hands and advised me on what to do, I got a travel document in a record time.

A one person I am going call AW was so helpful, with almost nothing he managed to take me somewhere as he coordinated support, within 3 days we had the financial and moral support from FNUR in USA. The money they sent was able to get me to another country where I stayed for 2months before finally being accepted to settle in Kigali Rwanda where am working as a teacher

Am so grateful to FNUR for the support and I highly recommend their services and work.

—

Please support the work of Friends Underground Railroad with a donation so we can help more people like Nandi. Donate here. Thank you!

And please share this story. Download the PDF document here.

A Friends New Underground Railroad Story.

Am called Evelyn Kemirembe. My friends call me Eve, though I don’t know if I have any true friends in this world. Am not afraid to say that am a lesbian and only attracted to gals sexually. Its unfortunate that I was born and raised in Uganda, a country where am a social outcast, in Uganda I was considered mentally disabled, a curse and evil.

Am a trained midwife who graduated in 2011 with flying colors and everybody celebrated, on the eve of my graduation, my father hinted on it that I should get married as the village is complaining as to why am not married, somehow this went into a hot heated discussion involving several of our family members and clansmates. It was common knowledge to everybody that am a lesbian, so the clan meeting concluded that I be cured of my lesbianism. This means that an able man is identified on the Village and he publically rapes me before the clan members. Because the family members feared that I was going to run away, I was put under house arrest till the following morning and at 10Am, the event took place, I was raped, ashamed, embarrassed and dead inside, if only I had a chance before the public raping, I could just take my life. To make the matters worse, the man who raped me also infected me with HIV/AIDS, after days of several rituals and cultural performance I was forcefully married off to the man and my parents asked for big bride price.

To cut the long story short, I ran away from my marriage within 3 weeks and I was depressed for over a year, and I even failed to get a job as I was not myself, the man had not only raped me, ashamed me, embarrassed me and took away who I am, but also gave me HIV/AIDS and impregnated me. Being a trained medical worker I aborted at 2months.

Early year I got a job, no sooner had I started working, than the news went out about my sexual orientation and though the management loved me and appreciated my work, they had to ask me leave, when I insisted to stay, the police was involved and since the public knew little about the Anti – gay law which was later turned down, my life was at stake, I was at extreme risk, and with no family or real friends, it was time for me to run.

Saving the world details, I benefited from the timely, quick and instant support from the FNUR Quakers, all they needed to know was if was claim was real and honest, it wasn’t hard to prove my case, it was investigated by some dedicated volunteers who put their own lives on daily risk to save others. I was put on the list, called the passengers’ list and the coordinator (who has now passed on in the line of duty) did all he can to give me and others the support we needed to cross to a safe country. We were met by ground support who helped us process papers and am happy to say that, Uganda is no longer home, even if it becomes a free country. Am happy to settle here in Rwanda where fewer people mind my sexual orientation.

Without FNUR and the Quakers, I could be dead, like many of my fellow lesbians in Uganda. It hurts her few cases make it to the International news. The whole should do more for the Lesbians and Gays in Uganda. More investments should be made to document cases of hate crime against the Lesbians and gays.

Am now settling in Kigali Rwanda, working with a private clinic.

My life story is longer than I can ever share but as I put myself together, I will keep on writing.

—

Please support the work of Friends Underground Railroad with a donation so we can help more people like Evelyn. Donate here. Thank you!

And please share this story . Download the PDF document here.