UmojaPride About UmojaPride
UmojaPride is an independent, community-led LGBTQ+ organisation working in Uganda. We give practical help to people who have lost their homes, income or safety because of who they are, and we publish the evidence that challenges the myths behind Uganda's anti-gay law.
Umoja is Swahili for "unity". The idea began in 2018 with grassroots work in Uganda, and UmojaPride launched in 2025. It was founded by John Ivan Kisekka and Daniel Lugobwa, who are based in the UK, and all of our support goes to LGBTQ+ people in Uganda. We are funded by our founders.
Truth
We challenge misinformation and homophobia using science, law and storytelling, affirming that queer identity is an inherent and historical part of Ugandan society, not a foreign influence.
Unity
We connect LGBTQ+ Ugandans, the diaspora and professional allies, so that no one has to face the law and its consequences alone.
Collaboration
We work with experienced organisations, professionals and grassroots groups so that people get the expert help we cannot give ourselves.
What we do
Housing
Temporary, discreet accommodation through trusted allies, and help with rent for people at risk of eviction.
Counselling
Private access to counsellors who understand what living under Uganda's law means.
Livelihoods
Courses and skills training, help finding work, and small business support, so people can earn an income again.
Safety
Free guides and training on digital security, money, housing and emergencies.
Stories and evidence
Articles that document the truth about LGBTQ+ life in Uganda, without exposing the people behind them.
Referrals
For legal aid, health care and asylum, we connect people with specialist organisations.
How we work
For LGBTQ+ Ugandans, being seen can be dangerous. Safety comes first in everything we do.
We never publish the names, faces or locations of the people we support. We check every request carefully, and we pay landlords, clinics and schools directly wherever we can. We decide who receives help by need, starting with the most urgent.
What we cannot do
We cannot arrange travel out of Uganda, provide legal representation, or help everyone who asks. Our budget is limited, and we would rather be honest about that than promise what we cannot deliver. Our questions and answers explain more.
The long game
Our support is discreet, but our message is deliberate. We believe laws will only change once culture begins to heal.
Through our stories, UmojaPride works to dismantle the myths that sustain hatred. They document the lived realities, histories and biological facts of queer existence in Uganda, without ever exposing the people behind them.
These stories confront the false claim that LGBTQ+ identity is a foreign import, and reclaim queer people's place in the Ugandan narrative as a natural, historical and human reality.
This is slow work. But it is necessary work.
Fund the work
Donations pay for emergency housing, skills training and safety work for LGBTQ+ Ugandans. Payments are handled securely by Stripe.