BUILDING QUEER CAPACITY

KUPANG, INDONESIA

As in many parts of the world, people in Kupang (the capital of West Timor in Indonesia) who are LGBTQI+ or in other ways not conforming to sexual and gender norms face prejudice, discrimination and violence, as well as sexual and other health risks. Working with a local HIV and AIDS organisation, Yayasan Tanpa Batas, Many Coloured Sky assists the LGBTQI+ community in Kupang to develop peer support programs and activities and to challenge homophobia and transphobia.

AIM: To strengthen LGBTQI+ community in Kupang and assist that community in achieving their goals of a safe, affirming and inclusive Kupang for LGBTQI+ people.

ACTIVITIES: Development, delivery and co-facilitation of peer support and peer education programs. Support for the development and delivery of anti-homophobia and -transphobia activities across Kupang. Assistance in the development of an LGBTQI+ organisation and its governance.

WHAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR? 
Initial workshops took place to build relationships, identify the participants key challenges and community strengths, and to provide a toolkit and resources for participants to develop their own ideas about challenging homo- and transphobia and building a strong LGBTQI+ community.

Following this the group met several times to plan a series of activities addressing prejudice against LGBTQI+ people from within the major religions of the region - Christianity and Islam. With funding support from Many Coloured Sky and other sources, the group hosted an event for religious leaders, and developed relationships and trust by working together to improve the physical surroundings of the cities' major churches and mosques. The activities concluded with a fashion show, dinner and parade by the LGBTQI+ community for the religious leaders which was both well attended and popular.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic many people in Indonesia suffered hunger as communities locked down and were unable to work. This coincided with a failure in supply lines of anti-retroviral medications for people living with HIV, creating additional health challenges. Many Coloured Sky provided funding to support emergency food deliveries to community members living with HIV and those in poverty, delivered by volunteer community members, along with mental health support, masks and hand sanitisers.