Hello, my name is Jordan Zeus. I am a trans man and LGBTQ refugee from Uganda and I am the leader of Trans Ark, a collective of trans refugees at Gorom Refugee Camp in South Sudan struggling to survive, especially after cuts to USAID by Elon Musk and Donald Trump. We currently lack access to necessities like food a medical supplies, HIV drugs and are in constant danger of violence.
The air in Gorom camp crackles with fear, a familiar current for us transgender individuals who have known little else but the chill of rejection and the heat of persecution. We are a small, tight-knit family forged in the crucible of shared hardship, and now, we face yet another forced displacement, a journey into the jaws of a city known for its hostility towards people like us: Juba.
It began our homelands of Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia, where simply existing as our authentic selves made us targets. The societal prejudice, the constant threat of violence, and the lack of any legal protection forced us to flee, leaving behind everything we knew.
With hope in our hearts, we sought refuge in Kenya. But the dream of safety quickly crumbled. Kenya, too, proved to be harsh. We encountered immense discrimination, struggled to find work, and were often met with suspicion and hostility. The very systems meant to protect refugees often failed us, leaving us vulnerable to further exploitation and abuse. The weight of constant fear and the inability to thrive led us to make another desperate choice – to seek asylum in South Sudan.
We landed in Gorom camp, a place we hoped would finally offer a respite. For a time, it did. We found a semblance of community amongst ourselves, a fragile sense of belonging. But even in the supposed safety of a refugee camp, our identities as transgender individuals make us targets. We endure daily attacks, lack police assistance and face death threats, stoning, and discrimination. Access to medical care is often denied and education is a lost dream.
Now, the South Sudanese government has issued a new order: evacuate Gorom and move to Juba. Juba is a city where LGBTQ+ individuals are criminalized, where cross-dressing carries a prison sentence, and where societal prejudice runs rampant. It's a move from one precarious existence to an even more dangerous one, a journey into a place where our very presence is deemed illegal and where safety is a fleeting illusion.
Our group is exhausted, both physically and emotionally. We have no resources, no support network in Juba, and the thought of navigating another hostile environment without even basic necessities is overwhelming. We are asking for a chance to simply survive, to find a secure space where we can exist without constant fear for our lives.
We are launching this urgent fundraiser to help us make this perilous transition and secure a lifeline in Juba. We need $5,300 USD ($7200 USD) to cover the immediate costs of relocation and to secure a safe, temporary home.
If you donate, this is how the money will be used will be used:
* $600 - Transportation from Gorom Camp to Juba: This will cover the cost of vehicles to transport our group, our meager belongings, and ensure we can travel together in a more secure manner, minimizing exposure to further risks on the journey.
*$800 rent security, (Refundable on leaving the house)
* $2,400 first deposit rent for a Secure house in Juba (First Three Months): Finding a safe and discreet house is paramount. This amount will cover the initial three months' rent for a modest, secure dwelling where we can live together, away from immediate public scrutiny and the dangers of direct street discrimination. This will give us critical breathing room to assess our situation, seek further support, and strategize our next steps without the immediate pressure of homelessness.
It will also cover first immediate house needs like mattresses, cooking gas, mosquito nets, saucepans, plates, blankets among others which will be allocated $1500.
Note. There will be monthly expenditures of $500 on feeding, utilities like water bills and electricity plus medication and emergencies.
Every dollar contributed will be a
beacon of hope in our darkest hour, a tangible expression of solidarity for those who have been repeatedly cast out. It's a chance to offer the members of Trans Ark a moment of peace, a fragile sanctuary in a world that has shown us little kindness. Please, open your heart and help with this desperately needed lifeline. Your generosity can be the difference between continued peril and a chance, however slim, at safety and a life free from fear.
Trans Ark (TA) is a South Sudan based nonprofit organization aimed at amplifying the voices of transgender refugees. Transgender refugees are always left out, underrepresented and there is no unifying organization that aims at specifically addressing the needs of transgenders in the country. The formation of the organization was inspired by facts like lack of organizing of transgender refugees, lack of programming that focuses at solving the needs and challenges of transgender refugees. The organization is operating in South Sudan to support sustainable response to human rights especially for transgender refugees to include the right to health, shelter, Empowerment. I believe that as transgender refugees we have the capability and capacity to demand for our rights and speak for ourselves that is why this organization has been founded.
VISION: A world where Transgender refugees are able to enjoy their human rights without discrimination.
MISSION: To build capacity, provide technical support and advocate to strengthen the delivery, effective, innovative and community-based programs for Transgender refugees .
VALUES:
◊ Commitment
◊ Team Work
◊ Love for all
◊ Transparency
GOALS:
To support community action for non-discrimination, address transgender refugees challenges and build a safe environment for us all.
To improve the economic and social well-being of transgender refugee persons in South Sudan
To facilitate a transgender community owned project for economic resilience and financial sustainability.
To provide awareness, advocacy and security training geared towards elimination of stigma, marginalization and criminalization targeted towards transmen in South Sudan.
AREAS OF FOCUS
◊ Transgender centered advocacy
◊ Livelihood and Economic Justice
◊ Comprehensive Health and Gender affirming health care
◊ Safety and security
Organizer
Justin Anantawan
Organizer
Mississauga, ON