Dear friends,
It’s a crime to be gay in 34 countries in Africa. In 4, being gay can cost you your life.
The struggle for equality here in Africa is huge. And it’s changing fast, as internet access expands across the continent. Our frontline is now online.
My name is Pamela and I work for All Out in Nigeria. Through my work here I know that we must become online experts if we want to change hearts and minds.
Our opponents know this, too. Anti-LGBT extremists stir up hatred online. Police use the internet to monitor our moves. LGBT people are violently attacked by people who lie to them online.
The good news is that we’ve got a plan: Later this month, we’ll be kicking off a year-long training program with 75 young activists from Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya.
But we need your help to keep this work going strong throughout the coming months.
It’s predicted that in just a few years, there will be more than 700 million smartphones in Africa. That's more than North America and on par with Europe.
Throughout the year, these 75 activists will be trained by expert online organisers on how to keep up with this massive online revolution. As access expands, so do the risks. A recent survey suggested that more than 50% of LGBT Nigerians like me have been harassed or threatened online.
Together, we'll learn how to protect ourselves and others online, use the internet to strengthen our fights on the ground, and ultimately move our communities closer to equality.
As an openly gay African woman campaigning in Nigeria, I’m so excited to help grow our movement and make it sustainable for the future. These young activists will be able to take what they've learned back to their communities, training up colleagues, and fueling local fights for equality.
Although we face unspeakable abuse and discrimination, I’m convinced we can win. There are millions of people around the world who already stand in solidarity with the LGBT movement here.
Thanks for going All Out,
Pamela Adie
Senior Campaigner
