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In Uganda, being LGBTQIA+ is not just socially risky—it is criminalized under one of the harshest anti-LGBTQ laws in the world. Since the passage of the most recent Anti-Homosexuality Act, violence and persecution have escalated dramatically:
- LGBTQIA+ people face life in prison or the death penalty simply for exiting.
- Allies can be imprisoned for up to 20-years for supporting LGBTQ+ friends and family.
- Community members are encouraged to report suspected individuals.
- Many face mob violence, police raids, or imprisonment.
For many, it is not safe to walk down their own street.
A Hidden Shelter Saving Lives—Quietly, Carefully, and Against the Odds
Three years ago, a courageous grassroots community leader (whose identity cannot be revealed for safety reasons) opened a hidden safe shelter to protect those forced from their homes.
Today, that shelter is quietly sustaining more than 115 displaced LGBTQIA+ individuals.
To protect everyone involved, the shelter operates with strict security protocols:
- No photos are ever allowed—not of residents, not of the shelter
- Pseudonyms are used for all residents and staff
- Surveillance cameras monitor for threats
- An emergency escape corridor exists for sudden police raids
- The founder himself faces imprisonment for providing refuge
This shelter is not symbolic. It is real, it is hidden, and it is often the only barrier between life and death.
The Crisis: The Shelter Is Falling Behind on Rent
Despite the incredible compassion and determination inside its walls, the shelter is now six months behind on rent, totalling US $6,100, or CAD $8,400.
If the shelter cannot pay rent soon, it will be forced to close—and more than 115 people will be pushed back into homelessness, violence, and extreme danger.
- There is no alternative facility.
- No government support.
- No public organization that can legally step in.
This shelter survives entirely because a few brave people insist that persecuted individuals deserve safety, dignity, and hope.
Who Is Organizing This Fundraiser?
My name is Ryan Sawatzky, and I am organizing this campaign. I am a consultant and facilitator in community-led tourism, social justice, and grassroots community development.
For more than 15 years, I have worked in international development and humanitarian response, including long-term community engagement in Haiti—where I was among the few nonprofit leaders practicing direct community giving, placing resources directly into the hands of those most affected.
You can learn more about my work at:
Because the shelter operates in a hostile environment where documentation can expose people to danger, this campaign relies on my reputation and credibility in grassroots development. I will provide safe, anonymized updates as funds are distributed.
How Funds Will Be Used
Every contribution goes directly toward survival:
- Shelter rent: US $6,100, CAD $8,400 needed urgently.
- Food and drinking water.
- Medical care and emergency treatment.
- Security costs, including surveillance and safety infrastructure.
- Basic daily needs: bedding, hygiene supplies, cooking fuel, clothing.
There is no overhead and no salaried admin.
This is direct humanitarian relief.
Why Your Support Matters—Especially Now
We are entering a season where many of us gather with friends and family, share meals, and speak about peace, generosity, and goodwill.
But for dozens of LGBTQIA+ people in Uganda, this time of year brings a very different reality:
- Fear.
- Hunger.
- Uncertainty.
- And the possibility of losing the only safe home they have.
Your gift can:
- Keep the shelter open
- Prevent eviction
- Provide food and health care
- Maintain security systems
- Help over 115 people survive the holidays in safety
A donation today is more than charity—it is an act of solidarity, protection, and hope.
You Can Help Keep This Shelter Alive
This campaign is about more than money.
It is about defending human dignity where it is under attack.
It is about choosing compassion over fear.
It is about ensuring that people who have already lost so much do not lose the last place where they feel safe.
If you believe everyone deserves a home…
If you believe love should not be punished…
If you believe in lifting others during a season of giving…
Please consider donating or sharing this fundraiser.
Every contribution—no matter the amount—helps save lives.
Thank you for standing with this courageous community!
Organizer
