Mukoya Leah
(She/Her)
Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG)
UGANDA
About Mukoya
Black African Queer and woman human rights activist, creative and crafty with the urge to challenge I serve the Ugandan LBQ community under Freedom and Roam Uganda, FARUG as the Programs Associate, through creativity and innovativeness while designing and deciding suitable strategies for programs and plans. Am passionate about women’s SRHR and mental health and wellbeing, working with communities Regenerator Under the Fire that Fuels, for support groups, crafty artist under Grand Treez Collectionz(an economic empowerment initiative). as a creative, I use art music to create safe spaces for lesbian women to embrace their identity through transforming their barriers and challenges into tools of self-improvement and personal growth and career development.
As a passionate driver for social change, my personal interest focuses on promoting wellbeing, care and resilience specifically among LBQ womxn. I recognize the unique challenges and disparities including stigma, discrimination and limitation in access to health care my community faces, I recognize the need and importance of wellbeing, care and resilience in the pursue of activism. My curiosity focuses on creating self-sustainable support systems for activists and the LBQ womxn communities, acknowledging the emotional toll of fighting injustices. I believe that collective and self-care is not a luxury but a necessity for maintain physical and emotional energy required to drive meaningful change. Through my work, I create safe spaces for LBQ womxn to prioritize their mental and physical, fostering a supportive network as well as develop coping strategies to navigate systematic barriers by providing tailored resources and skills in promoting holistic care. I sustenance LBQ womxn to reclaim their autonomy, build resilience and thrive. My approach centers around intersectionality and community led initiatives ensuring that their distinct experiences and needs are prioritized and addressed. Through my work, I empower LBQ communities and activists to sustain their vital work, mitigate burnouts, stress, Trauma response, hence ensuring that they continue nurturing their own health and happiness. In addressing financial/economic violence, share knowledge on building self-sustainable economic empowerment initiatives for financial independence through art and creativity; ‘’Beading for wellness’’
About FARUG
Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG), is the first Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer and women membership organization in Uganda. We fearlessly promote, demand and protect the rights and wellbeing of LBQ womxn, most of whom are excluded, marginalized and exploited for exercising their right to choose whom to love. We run the first LBQ exclusive Drop-in center which avails first aid legal and SRHR information and related services such as psychosocial support/counselling, menstrual health management and package, STI/UTI and Breast and cervical cancer screening through referrals etc. to LBQ womxn in a friendly and nondiscriminatory way, and through links, we offer legal representation, legal information, legal first aid such as mediation, dispute resolution and negotiation. Our scope and reach of work spans across the entire country of Uganda Our mission is to strengthen and mobilize the voice, visibility and collective organizing power of LBQ womxn in order to change the norms, institutions, policies and practices that perpetuate inequality, homophobia, heteronormativity and violence in both public and private arenas. This is the core of our work.
Leah & FARUG can provide:
As an individual, I possess a network of tools, skills, disciplines, guidelines and abilities that are inevitable when it come to building organizational goals. Consultation on Activism support; strategic planning for social movements, advocacy trainings and coaching. Consultation on collective wellbeing organizing and strategizing on wellness programs; community building and networking, burn out and trauma informed training, Development of resources and tools on SOGIE trainings and mentorships.