Safety for Liam, Mash, and Trans Refugees in South Sudan 

My name is Liam (they/them).

I am trans-masc and nonbinary person and refugee from Uganda. In early 2023, my girlfriend and I were outed in our village. When the police were told about my gender identity, a bounty was placed on my head. We left with almost nothing, leaving everything behind, including our passports. We moved from place to place, going between refugee camps and finally we reached a refugee camp near Juba in South Sudan. That is where we are now.

Life here is survivable, but it is not safe, and it is not easy. As a trans person, I cannot live openly. I cannot love my girlfriend the way I want to. We do not know when our case will be reviewed or where we will end up. There are other trans and nonbinary people in this camp facing the same thing, and we are trying to look after each other while we wait.

This fundraiser supports two things.

 #1 Immediate needs in the camp

These funds help cover the basic essentials that keep me, my girlfriend, and other trans and nonbinary refugees here alive and a little safer day to day:

• Food and clean drinking water 
• Medical care and emergency funds 
• A safer shelter with a proper toilet and bathroom 
• Menstrual kits for trans-masc, trans men, and nonbinary refugees, a need that almost always gets overlooked 
• Emergency support for the unexpected costs that come up here
  

 #2 A path out for me and my girlfriend

Separately, we are trying to reach a safer place to stay while our asylum case is processed, because staying in the camp long-term is not sustainable for us. Leaving is expensive. The road is long, and there are costs at every stage of it. We are working to connect with the UNHCR to begin that process, but it takes time we do not control. Reaching safety together, in one piece, is my personal goal, and it is what the larger part of this fund is working toward.

 Our goal is $15,000 AUD. Whatever you can give helps, whether it goes toward getting us out or toward making the camp more survivable for the trans people here with us.

~A note from Jaz, campaign organizer~ I'm Jaz, a nonbinary person based in Australia and one of Liam's closest friends. I'm organizing this campaign for them.

 Donations are received by a trusted mutual friend who has direct contact with Liam and has sent money to them before on many occasions. From there, funds go to Liam through M-Pesa mobile money, which is fast and reliable. Every dollar reaches them.

When i can, I'll post updates here as things develop. Thank you for reading, and for giving what you can. If you're not able to give, sharing this page genuinely helps.