For an LGBTQ couple fleeing brutal assault and hate in Africa, the support they鈥檝e received from a Vancouver Island organization has been nothing short of life-saving.
Paul Canary Kanyamu, 26, and his partner Meddie Ssentongo, 22, originally met in Uganda and arrived in Nanaimo at the beginning of April from the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, where they lived for three and a half years.
A Vancouver Island volunteer organization known as , which sponsors 鈥渟exual and gender-diverse鈥� refugees from around the world who have fled persecution in their home countries, sponsored the couple while at Kakuma, with their move to Canada, and will provide financial, social and emotional support for their first year in Nanaimo.
James Chamberlain, a secretary for ROAR and a sponsor for Kanyamu and Ssentongo, said the organization was able to provide the couple with money for food, medical treatment and cellphones for secure communication.
Ssentongo said that some of the services at the camp, like medication, schooling and law enforcement, were denied to LGBTQ people.
鈥淎s queer refugees in the camp, we often experienced a lot of persecution and discrimination,鈥� Kanyamu said.
He recounted the numerous physical assaults at the camp, including one instance in which most of his leg was broken.
鈥淎t one time we lost some LGBTQ friends. They were burned to death at night 鈥� a transgender woman 鈥� her injuries were so bad, as a result, she breathed her last,鈥� he said.
Although same-sex relations were already illegal in Uganda, a harsher anti-LGBTQ law was enacted this spring that, in some cases, includes the death penalty.
鈥淲hen you have any rainbow stuff on you, it鈥檚 a crime,鈥� Kanyamu said. 鈥淓ven as a journalist, you鈥檙e not supposed to interview anyone who is gay [or] your company would be closed or fined 鈥� it鈥檚 very challenging right now.鈥�
In stark contrast to their old lives, Kanyamu said he was finally able to participate in a Pride event without fear. On June 11, during the Nanaimo Pride Society鈥檚 Pride Parade downtown, Kanyamu walked with the Reach 鈥極ut鈥� for LGBTQ and Allies initiative with Brechin United Church.
He said the parade was 鈥渧ery marvelous,鈥� and something he didn鈥檛 think he could ever get to do.
鈥淥ur lives in Nanaimo here, first of all, we are free as LGBTQ,鈥� he said.
Ssentongo added that Pride events last month 鈥渇elt like home鈥� and that they happily participated 鈥渨ithout any fear.鈥�
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