Emergency COVID_19 HIV+ youths

Dear Donors

When we realized that People who are HIV positive faced challenges of medicine stockout/shortages. Team at MRF led by the Director Mr. Raymond engaged with ministry of health to lobby for in time drug availability refills and extension of months given, previously they would receive one month which was a bit challenging to manage the viral load but with our interventions, they now receive drug refill of up to 6 months.

“Amidst the challenges brought about by the COVID_19 and now the deadly Ebola outbreak, we’re transforming lives, and shifting mindset. Thank you for keeping us operational”

we will Keep on senstizing our communities; There is nationwide panic with the number of reported cases of the Ebola virus going up daily. As a nation this is not our first Ebola experience and we have managed to survive in the past and are hopeful to survive through this one as well, however the president possed a lockdown on two districts to curb the virus but on predictions to lockdown others if the ebola continue to spread, with the threat of rising pandemics, first monkey pox and now Ebola; the queer community of rural Uganda is afraid of what it could mean if either pandemic had a massive outbreak like COVID-19.

Dear Valued Donors

We are updating you on the progress we have made towards supporting rural LGBTIQ HIV+ people  

When we realized that People who are HIV positive faced challenges of medicine stockout/shortages., Our team at MRF led by the Director Mr. Raymond engaged with ministry of health to lobby for in time drug availability refills and extension of months given.

Previously they would receive one month which was a bit challenging to manage the viral load but with our interventions, they now receive drug refill of up to 6 months.

Further more, there is nationwide panic with the number of reported cases of the Ebola virus going up daily. As a nation this is not our first Ebola experience and we have managed to survive in the past and are hopeful to survive through this one as well, however the president possed a lockdown on two districts to curb the virus but on predictions to lockdown others if the ebola continue to spread, with the threat of rising pandemics, first monkey pox and now Ebola; the queer community of rural Uganda is afraid of what it could mean if either pandemic had a massive outbreak like COVID-19.

Amidst challenges, we thank you for your support. 

Dear Donors

Your support has enabled us reach far more grassroot areas with sustainable impact, this half year 2022, we have been able to bring on board about 202 HIV positive gay men to start taking HIV medication – antiretroviral therapy (ART), With high rate of HIV/AIDS transmission as per our evidenced data, we have further more continued to carryout advocacy campaigns with our partners The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) for safer sex practices and encouraged members to always use condoms and test for HIV with their partners, a total of 631 participants have benefited.

Our executive director Mr. Raymond Twinamatsiko attended a regional meeting in consultation to critically reflect, on approaches to human rights violations related to sexual orientation and gender identity in south Africa Johannesburg titled “redress, justice and accountability for anti-LGBTI discrimination, use, limitations and alternatives to criminal law.” organized by amnesty international, information that was shared during the meeting, is helping us to redress our challenges, lobby and engage with homophobic legislators and health care service providers.  

 We continue to call upon you to support us, as to make a defference.

Mutesi Janet. . 

Dear Donors 

From the core of our heart, we Continuously thank you for your valuable support.

In order to make rural communities aware about the merits and demerits of wearing a mask and also to make them aware about the deadly covid-19 and vaccination, Mbarara Rise Foundation organized a  Mask day out and Distributed over 2,000 Reusable washable masks were distributed to rural LGBTQIA+ communities in six districts of western Uganda. 

This campaign has helped the rural LGBTQIA+ people to know about the merits of wearing a mask and currently majority are aware about the covid-19 safety protocols as well as covid-19 vaccination through which these people could protect themselves and their family from the virus. The activities were planned to be very easy and informative so that the rural people who are un-educated could also understand the content of our study and the awareness information. 

We plan to have national educational tour to sensitive and educate many,

Without Donors like you, we couldn't accomplish any of this without your support. 

Thank you. 

Dear Donors

Currently we have partnered with Mbarara regional referral hospital (MRRH) to offer COVID_19 vaccination jabs, we are working with cell coordinators in different hotspots and in regions where our communities live,

The cell coordinators sensitize and mobilizes rural LGBTIQ+ people to meet at a specified venue so that they are vaccinated. A team from the Mbarara Regional referral hospital (MRRH)vaccinates them, it has taken a lot of engagements between staff at MRF and the hospital administration to get this done.

Out of the 950 LGBTIQ people anticipated to be vaccinated, only 38 LGBT people in kizunju cell found in Mbarara district have so far received their jabs, Among the challenge faced per now is that the MRRH administration has complained of shortage of vaccines and they say, their priority is to vaccinate students, head and teachers of all schools first before other groups of people get their vaccines.  

Our staff will continuously lobby for its members and communities to get their vaccines.