Still Waiting — But Not Without Hope

Two important things can be true at the same time.

A few weeks ago, S received difficult news: while Canada accepted other LGBTQ+ refugees for resettlement [right in front of him as he visited the embassy in Nairobi (and did English to Arabic/Swahili interpretation for them)], his case was not selected for immediate relocation. After more than two years of waiting — and after years of refugee life following his escape from Yemen in 2019 under threat of an honor killing — this was heartbreaking.

S is still most likely going to be resettled to Canada. What he is facing now is something refugees know all too well: waiting. Waiting without timelines. Waiting without guarantees. Waiting while life continues in limbo.

For context: S fled after his father threatened him (an “honor killing” for being gay). After S escaped, his father went on to kill nearly the entire family. Only one brother survived, by escaping. S’s fear had indeed been real, justified, but sadly all too common.

This update is not meant to discourage. It’s meant to be honest. The path to safety is rarely straight, and it is often painfully slow. But S is still here. Still alive. Still moving forward.

And thanks to you, he has not been waiting empty-handed.

(updates to come)

Jeremy

Hi everyone,

I’m writing with a difficult update about Sultan, and I want to speak honestly because the situation in Kakuma has become extremely severe.

As many of you know, Sultan has already been approved for resettlement to Canada. But just like Abel, he is now trapped in a dangerous waiting period that could still last months or even years—and survival in the camp is no longer something we can take for granted.

Floods Have Devastated Kakuma Again

Kakuma has once again been hit by massive floods, destroying shelters and contaminating water sources. The flooding has also triggered another surge in mosquitoes and water-borne diseases, and Sultan is right in the middle of it.

Right now, he doesn’t even have money for mosquito spray.

He is already living with chronic malaria—something many people don’t realize is lifelong. Every new infection attacks him harder. Years of repeated malaria have permanently damaged his liver and kidneys, and the only reason he is still alive is because past donations allowed him to access treatment.

But those funds are gone now.

A New Humanitarian Crisis on Top of an Existing One

Due to the war in Sudan, Kakuma is now receiving a huge influx of new refugees, arriving in desperate c

ondition.

This means:

- MORE DISEASE

- LESS FOOD

- OVERCROWDING

- COLLAPSING HYGIENE

- VIOLENT COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES

More people = more suffering. And more danger for Sultan.

Cuts to Aid Have Made Everything Worse

Something most people don’t know: because of the cuts made to USAID funding during the Musk/DOGE era, humanitarian aid to East Africa dropped so sharply that an estimated 600,000 people have already died.

This is part of why Kakuma is now functionally collapsing.

We cannot let Sultan become one of those numbers.

“But haven’t you already raised over $3000?”

Some people have asked me this.

And the truth is simple: every dollar raised has been immediately spent—not on luxuries, but on survival:

The money was not saved. The money was used to keep him alive.

Sultan Has Survived the Impossible

People forget how long he has been fighting for his life.

He has been a refugee on and off since the mid-2010s, and a full-time refugee since 2019.

He has endured:

- REPEATED EPISODES OF MALARIA

- DYSENTERY

- TYPHOID

- ATTACKS AND THREATS

- BREAK-INS

- BEING TARGETED FOR BEING GAY

- BEATINGS

- YEARS OF NEAR-STARVATION DIETS

- TOOTH DECAY

- PREMATURE AGING FROM TRAUMA

- THE MENTAL TORTURE OF LOSING HIS ENTIRE FAMILY

(HIS FATHER KILLED EVERYONE IN WHAT WAS ESSENTIALLY AN “HONOR” MURDER — BECAUSE SULTAN IS GAY; ONLY HIS BROTHER SURVIVED, BUT HE REFUSES CONTACT)

And all of this on top of living in a country where gay men are executed or violently persecuted. In Yemen, where Sultan is from, being gay is treated as a crime punishable by death. Families, militias, and extremist groups all carry out violence with complete impunity.

Sultan fled because his only alternative was to die.

HE HAS COME SO FAR — BUT RIGHT NOW HE IS DESPERATE

Your donations have kept him alive through things no human being should experience.

HE IS STILL ALIVE TODAY BECAUSE OF YOU.

BUT NOW, HE IS AT A BREAKING POINT.

The floods destroyed what little stability he had.

Aid is collapsing.

Disease is everywhere.

And the waiting time for Canada is still long.

And I, Jeremy, don’t know what to do anymore.

I’ll be honest:

- I AM ALSO STRUGGLING EMOTIONALLY.

- I’M NOT A PROFESSIONAL FUNDRAISER.

- I’M NOT AN NGO.

- I’M JUST A PERSON TRYING TO HELP ANOTHER HUMAN BEING STAY ALIVE.

It breaks my heart that donations have slowed down so dramatically even as the situation gets worse. I know many people don’t understand what it means to be a refugee in these conditions — to have nothing, no family, no protection, no future except the one people like us try to build for him.

I lived below the poverty line myself from 2018 to 2022. I am alive because the government of Switzerland saw me and saved my life. I was in hell between 2017 and 2021… I went through suicide attempts, addiction and rehab, years living below the poverty line in Switzerland, paying 70% of my income into rent. So the 400 or 500 CHF I received once a month helped me pay for food, AND thankfully, at my lowest point, in summer 2021, a Christian organization helped me go to rehab and paid for it. They also covered my healthcare costs and paid me an income for 2 months. I would NOT be here today after the torture and abuse I suffered at the hands of my boss in Japan. Sultan was also instrumental in my recovery from addiction to benzos and alcohol.

I KNOW WHAT DESPERATION FEELS LIKE.

BUT SULTAN HAS SUFFERED FAR BEYOND ANYTHING I EXPERIENCED.

Right now, everything you’ve donated has been used, and there is no safety net.

He needs help again simply to survive THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

If you can give again, even a small amount, it directly keeps Sultan alive.

He has come so far — please don’t let this be the moment where everything collapses.

Thank you for everything you have already done.

You have changed his life.

And you may be the reason he survives long enough to reach safety in Canada.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Malaria Reality – Life in Kakuma

What Malaria Feels Like

Sudden high fever up to 40°C / 104°F

Intense chills, sweats, and body pain

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Severe weakness, confusion, sometimes seizures

Survivors say: “It feels like being hit by a truck again and again.”

Why It’s Deadly in Refugee Camps

Mosquitoes breed fast after heavy rains

Overcrowded shelters = rapid spread

Field hospitals are little more than tin-roof shacks with IV bags and wooden beds

Shortages of sterile equipment & medicines are constant

Patients often endure multiple infections in one month

The Global Picture

Over 600,000 deaths every year from malaria

Most victims are children under 5 and vulnerable adults

In places like Kakuma, relapse after relapse breaks the body

The Fight to Survive

Rapid tests & IV drugs = difference between life and death

Mosquito nets help but aren’t foolproof

Every outbreak pushes families further into poverty and despair

✨ Your support means:

Access to medicine & safe treatment

A real chance for S to survive repeated malaria attacks

Hope while he waits for his Canadian visa decision

https://gofund.me/dc500ba0

Help S Get to Safety — One Last Push!

We reached our initial goal thanks to your incredible support — thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

But S is still not safely resettled in Canada. Due to ongoing delays, the process has stretched on for months longer than expected — adding rent, food, medical costs, legal fees, and extra living expenses he must cover himself.

He has been approved for resettlement through Rainbow Railroad, and his application for permanent residence has been received by Canadian authorities — but until the day he boards a plane, he remains at risk in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. For LGBTQ+ refugees like S, daily life in Kakuma is harsh and dangerous. He has already survived years of flooding, violence, and illness. Your donations have carried him this far — now we need your help to carry him across the finish line.

️‍ Why S Still Needs Your Help

Ongoing Survival: S still needs malaria medication, food, clean water, and safe shelter.

Mandatory Expenses: Vaccinations, legal documents, travel fees, and basic clothing are all required before he can leave.

A Fresh Start: Once in Canada, your support will help cover his first rent, warm clothes, household basics, and integration costs until he can stand on his own feet.

Every Dollar Makes a Difference

If you’ve already given — thank you. You are the reason he’s come this far. If you’re just joining us — welcome. We still need you!

$5 can buy food for a day

$25 can pay for medicine or transport

$50 helps cover relocation documents

$100+ helps secure safe housing now — and a stable home once he’s in Canada

Safety First: Why We Protect S’s Identity

Due to threats he has received for being openly gay, we can no longer share his real name or photos publicly. This is for his safety — but please know that every donation still goes directly to him, helping him survive while waiting to resettle.

✨ This YEAR: Let’s Finish What We Started

Your support is saving a life. Let’s stand with S — and show him he’s not alone.

Please donate, share the link, and spread the word. Together, we can make sure S finally finds safety, dignity, and a new beginning in Canada.

DONATE HERE: https://gofund.me/dc500ba0

With gratitude and hope,

Jeremy

#PrideWithPurpose #StandWithS #LGBTQRefugees

❤️ PS: Updates Will Keep Coming!

I will continue to share updates whenever possible — respecting S’s privacy and security. Thank you for believing in him, and for standing with him all this time.