When Being Queer Costs You Everything
Being queer has cost me almost everything.
It cost me my home in Uganda, where I could no longer live safely because of my sexuality. I was forced to flee and crossed into Kenya, hoping I would finally find protection. I was registered as a refugee by UNHCR Kenya and taken to Kakuma Refugee Camp, believing my life would become safer.
Instead, I found another kind of struggle.
Life in Kakuma was filled with fear, discrimination, and rejection. As a gay refugee, I faced hostility because of who I am. Every day became a fight to survive while carrying the pain of losing my home, my family, and the life I once knew.
Eventually, I reached a point where I felt I had no choice but to leave Kenya. I fled once again, this time to South Sudan, hoping for a chance to live in peace.
Today, I am still living as a refugee.
Life remains incredibly difficult. Finding enough food is a daily challenge. Access to basic necessities is never guaranteed. I continue to face uncertainty, isolation, and the emotional weight of being displaced simply because I am queer. Every day is about surviving and hoping tomorrow will be a little better.
This blog is where I will share my journey, my experiences, and the reality that many LGBTQ+ refugees face but are rarely heard.
If you have found your way here, thank you for taking the time to read my story.
I ask the world, kindhearted people, and the LGBTQ+ community to stand with refugees like me. Please help in whatever way you can, whether by donating, sharing my story, raising awareness, or simply reminding us that we are not forgotten.
Your kindness can help someone who has already lost so much find hope again.
My name is Caitlin and I am organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Kavuma Abdallah, who reached out to me on social media. He is a gay Ugan