The LooM SWANA team is asking you to donate to build the first-ever queer helpline in the SWANA region to support LGBTIQ+ activists during the digital crisis.

LooM SWANA is a regional LGBTIQ+ organization that aims to connect and intersect communities and human rights, internet freedom, digital rights, and holistic security themes to weave better futures for queer and trans people in the South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. This is more than an organization; it is a feminist intersectional dedication to creating better, just, and safe futures for LGBTIQ+ people throughout the region.

In recent years, LGBTIQ+ organizations and activists in the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region have faced a decline in support and an increase in digital attacks, such as harassment, outing, doxxing, hacking...etc. The unstable political and social conditions make it crucial for these activists to have a dedicated initiative for digital assistance, as there is currently little collaboration to address these crises. To fill this gap, this project aims to establish the first-ever regional queer helpline that offers immediate and culturally sensitive support during digital emergencies.

The helpline team members will not only have a deeper, more contextualized understanding of LGBTQI+ communities but also linguistic skills, including an understanding of code words and triggers that signal risks to be reported. The deep, contextual understanding of the community's needs is often delayed while international helplines or tech companies seek to gather this information from community experts, such as LooM SWANA, when issues are reported directly to them.

In this project, we will serve as the experts and point of contact for the community, saving valuable time for rapid response. The helpline team will also reach out to relevant parties, including security experts, technology companies, social media platforms, and dating apps, to take necessary actions, such as sending warning messages, shutting down accounts, and reviewing or removing content that endangers the safety of LGBTIQ+ communities in the region.

This service will not only provide urgent digital support but also help build long-term resilience in managing digital risks, empowering LGBTIQ+ activists to feel safer and more confident online.