Donate to Secure Shelter for LGBTQIA Survivors

Dear Allys,

My name is Ritaj Ibrahim, I'm a human rights activist and the co-founder of Kun initiative which helps protect and support LGBTIQA+ persons in Libya. I’m calling on you to support 5 young, refugees, LGBTQIA survivors. Here’s their message and story as they tell it, heart to heart:

"Help Rebuild Our Lives After Escaping Unimaginable Hardship..

Hello, my name is Layla, and I am a 20-year-old transgender woman who escaped a life of unimaginable hardship in Libya. I am currently in Tunisia as a refugee, living with my boyfriend, Adam, and friends who have faced similar struggles. Together, we support each other as we face daily fear, insecurity, and hardship.

In Libya, being part of the LGBTQ+ community meant living in constant danger. My boyfriend, Adam, and I were arrested simply for being ourselves. Our time in jail was a nightmare. We faced violence, harassment, and dehumanizing treatment every day. It felt like there was no escape, but we knew we had to find a way to survive.

After being released, Adam and I managed to flee Libya, hoping to find safety in Tunisia. But living here as refugees hasn’t been easy. We face discrimination daily, and despite all efforts, we’re struggling just to meet basic needs like shelter, food, and safety. We’ve reached out to organizations for help, but the support hasn’t been enough to cover basic needs. Some days, we go without a proper meal and worry constantly about our future.

My name is Noah, and I am a 20-year-old student from Tripoli, Libya. I used to live a normal life with my friends and family, like anyone else. But everything changed in a single moment. One day, a Libyan militia with ties to the Ministry of Interior stopped me, forcibly took me to a dark, empty place, and abused me in unimaginable ways. They harassed me sexually, beat me, and tortured me with unimaginable cruelty. It was as if they had no humanity.

They accused me of atheism and being gay—both of which, in their eyes, made me unworthy of life. They found private messages on my phone with LGBTQ+ friends, where we joked and shared our daily lives. This invasion of my privacy led them to threaten me with death unless I handed over my friends. Terrified, I agreed, desperate to escape.

As soon as I was freed, I left everything behind—my family, friends, and my education—and fled to Tunisia, hoping for a safe place to start over. Here, I’ve found some comfort living with Layla, Adam, and others who understand the pain I’ve gone through. Yet, even together, we face immense challenges, and without financial stability, I worry daily about how we will survive.

My name is Ayham, and my partner, Fadi, and I once dreamed of a life together in Libya. But as a gay couple, we faced constant fear, both from authorities and society. Every day was a risk, as even a small mistake could reveal our relationship and lead to imprisonment or death. Living in secrecy, without any freedom to be ourselves, took a heavy toll.

We were both arrested, kidnapped, and blackmailed multiple times, facing violence simply because of who we are. We had no choice but to escape, hoping that Tunisia would give us a chance at peace. However, things here are not what we imagined.

Now, Fadi and I live with Layla, Adam, and Noah, who also had to flee Libya for their safety. Sharing our stories and trying to rebuild our lives together brings us some strength, but we still live in constant uncertainty. As refugees, we have no official recognition or consistent protection. We struggle financially, and the fear of being sent back or targeted never truly leaves us.

Living together gives us a sense of community, but our situation is still deeply challenging. We are asking for help because we are all trying to build lives with dignity, away from fear and violence. Your support could help us secure basic needs like shelter and food, giving us a foundation for the future we all dream of. Any donation, no matter how small, would be a step toward hope and healing.

Thank you for taking the time to read our stories. Any help you can give means the world to us."