Donate to LGBTIQ Support in Africa: Emergency Shelter, Legal Aid and Safe Health Care

If you want to donate to LGBTIQ support in Africa, safety has to come first. People who are targeted for who they are need help fast, and they need that help to stay private. This guide explains how discreet support works, what it costs, and how to give safely from the United States.

We'll also show how to give through GiveToAfrica, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. You fund emergency shelter, legal aid or confidential health care through trusted local organisations. Then, every quarter, you receive an anonymised field report on what your gifts made possible.

Why LGBTIQ people in Africa need support

The situation varies widely across the continent. On one hand, South Africa's constitution protects people from discrimination based on sexual orientation. Similarly, courts in Botswana, Mauritius and Namibia have struck down colonial-era laws against same-sex relations in recent years.

On the other hand, more than half of Africa's 54 countries still criminalise consensual same-sex relations, according to the ILGA World Database. In some places, the laws have recently become harsher. For example, Uganda passed an Anti-Homosexuality Act in 2023.

As a result, many LGBTIQ people face eviction, violence, blackmail or arrest. Many also avoid clinics because they fear being reported. Consequently, HIV prevention and mental health care often fail to reach the people who need them most.

Therefore, the most effective way to donate to LGBTIQ support in Africa is to fund local organisations that already know how to help safely. They understand local laws, languages and risks far better than any outside group.

How GiveToAfrica keeps this support safe

Safety shapes everything about these causes. First, we work only through trusted local organisations with a track record of discreet support. Second, we never collect or publish the names, photos or locations of the people helped.

Additionally, all reporting for these causes is aggregate and anonymised. For instance, a field report might say how many people received emergency shelter this quarter. However, it will never say who they were or where they are.

That is also why the photos on these pages show flags, not faces. Putting a real person's face beside this cause could put them in danger.

Finally, partners' own security is part of the budget. For example, 10% of the LGBTQ+ emergency support budget funds digital and physical security for local partners, so the people helping others are protected too.

Why donate to LGBTIQ support through GiveToAfrica

GiveToAfrica is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 27-3982730. Consequently, gifts from US donors are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and your email receipt arrives as soon as your payment clears.

Moreover, both LGBTIQ causes show their budgets and targets before you give. For instance, the emergency support budget puts 35% into emergency shelter, 25% into legal aid and 20% into relocation and essentials. The remaining 20% covers partner security, monitoring and reporting.

Your own privacy matters too. When you give, your name only appears on the site if you tick "show my name". Otherwise, your gift appears as "A donor". See our privacy policy for details.

Our Services: LGBTIQ support you can fund in Africa

Here are seven kinds of support you can fund through our two LGBTIQ causes, emergency support and health access.

Emergency safe housing

When someone is outed, they can lose their home the same day. Therefore, the first need is often a safe, confidential place to stay. Our LGBTQ+ emergency support cause funds emergency shelter through trusted partners.

A gift of $50 pays for a week of emergency safe housing. Meanwhile, $1,200 covers three months of shelter, food and counselling for one person. Our target this round is emergency shelter for 80 people.

Legal aid for people facing arrest

Arrest can happen suddenly, and a lawyer at the first hearing can change the outcome. Our emergency support cause funds lawyers for people facing arrest or prosecution because of who they are.

For example, $250 pays for legal representation at a first court hearing. Our target is 40 legal cases supported this round. In addition, partners aim to respond to 95% of cases within 48 hours.

Relocation and essentials in a crisis

Sometimes staying in the same town is not safe. In those cases, partners help people move somewhere safer, and cover transport, food and medical care during the move. This support is funded through the "relocation and essentials" line of the emergency support budget.

Importantly, relocation is decided by the person at risk and the local partner together. Donors never know where anyone has moved.

Security for local partner organisations

The people who run these services also face risks. Consequently, part of each gift funds digital security, safe communication tools and physical security for partner staff. Without that protection, the rest of the work could not continue.

Confidential health consultations

Many LGBTIQ people avoid clinics because they fear being judged or reported. Our LGBTQ+ health access cause funds confidential, respectful consultations with trained staff.

A gift of $60 funds confidential health consultations and testing for two people. Our target this round is 1,500 confidential consultations.

HIV prevention and testing

HIV prevention works best when people can get it without fear. Therefore, our health access cause funds HIV testing, condoms and PrEP, the medication that prevents HIV infection.

For instance, $120 provides three months of HIV prevention medication support. Our target is 300 people on HIV prevention this round.

Peer counselling and mental health support

Rejection by family and community takes a heavy toll on mental health. Our health access cause trains peer counsellors, who offer support from people with shared experience.

A gift of $900 funds a year of peer counselling for 15 people. In addition, the cause trains clinic staff in non-judgemental care. Our target is 60 clinic staff trained this round, so that more clinics become safe places to seek help.

Where each dollar goes

Every gift is spent against a published budget. When you fund health access, about 35 cents of every dollar pays for confidential consultations. Next, 25 cents funds HIV prevention and testing, and 20 cents pays for peer counselling. Finally, 10 cents trains clinic staff, and 10 cents covers anonymised monitoring and reporting.

Therefore, you know how a $100 gift will be split before you give. Every quarter, the anonymised field report compares the plan with what was actually spent.

Beyond emergencies: building safer, longer lives

Emergency help is vital, but it is only the first step. When you donate to LGBTIQ support in Africa, you also help people rebuild. Here is how the rest of our work connects to that goal.

Wider HIV and health care

HIV care works best when every clinic is safe to walk into. Therefore, our general HIV/AIDS programs cause, which funds testing and treatment for whole communities, complements the confidential services above. Similarly, medical clinics that are stocked and well run are safer for everyone. You can read more in our guide to donating to healthcare in Africa.

Skills and income

People forced from their homes often lose their jobs too. Consequently, a steady income is one of the best protections against future danger. Our vocational training cause teaches trades such as tailoring, catering and solar repair, and small business grants help people start earning. Both programmes are open to anyone who qualifies.

People forced to flee

Some people have to leave their country altogether. Our refugee assistance cause supports people forced from their homes for any reason, with essentials, schooling and a way to earn a living. In addition, psychosocial support helps survivors of violence recover.

Why steady giving matters

Crises do not follow a schedule. Therefore, the organisations we fund need money ready before the next emergency, not after it. A monthly gift to LGBTIQ support in Africa means a partner can say yes the same day someone calls for help. In other words, your regular gift is what makes a fast response possible.

Furthermore, steady funding lets partners train staff, secure their offices and plan for the long term. As a result, each dollar goes further over time.

How to donate to LGBTIQ support in Africa from the USA

Here are the ways US donors most often donate to LGBTIQ support in Africa.

Donate online, with or without your name shown

The quickest way is our donation page. First, choose emergency support or health access. Next, pick an amount; gifts start at $50. Then complete the secure form. Leave "show my name" unticked if you prefer to give quietly.

Donate cryptocurrency

Some donors prefer to give cryptocurrency. You can give Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and more than 100 other coins by choosing crypto on the donation form. Your receipt is emailed once the payment confirms.

Give from a donor-advised fund

If you hold a donor-advised fund, recommend a grant to GiveToAfrica using EIN 27-3982730. Write "LGBTQ+ emergency support" or "LGBTQ+ health access" in the grant note, and we will record it against that cause.

Give from your IRA

If you are 70½ or older, a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA may be an option. Before instructing your custodian, contact us so we can confirm the details.

Give monthly or through your employer

Emergency funds need to be ready before a crisis. Therefore, monthly gifts are especially valuable here. When you pay by card, choose "Monthly" on the donation form. Many employers also match gifts during Pride Month and all year; see company giving.

Supporting LGBTIQ Africans from communities across the United States

You can give from anywhere in the US. Here is how donors in some of America's best-known LGBTQ communities often get involved.

Donors in San Francisco and the Bay Area

From the Castro to Oakland, the Bay Area has a long history of LGBTQ activism and HIV care. Consequently, many donors there choose health access, especially HIV prevention and peer counselling.

Donors in New York City

The Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village marks the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement. Similarly, many New Yorkers feel a strong connection to people still facing criminalisation abroad. As a result, many choose emergency support and legal aid.

Donors in Washington, DC, Chicago and Atlanta

Washington, DC, is home to many human rights professionals, and Chicago and Atlanta have large LGBTQ communities. Many donors in these cities give monthly, so emergency funds are ready when a crisis hits. Others organise group gifts through workplaces or community groups; you can volunteer with us to lead one.

Donors in Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Palm Springs

Southern California has some of the country's most active LGBTQ communities, from West Hollywood to Palm Springs. Many donors there have supported HIV care and LGBTQ youth services for decades. Consequently, they often recognise how much a safe clinic or a week of emergency housing can mean. Many choose to give monthly, and some organise group gifts around Pride events each June. Others ask their employers to match those gifts, which can double the support that reaches a partner.

Donors across the rest of the country

You don't need to live in a big city to help. Donors in small towns and rural areas often know first-hand what it means to be isolated. Wherever you live, the process is the same: choose a cause, give online, and receive your receipt by email.

How to choose an LGBTIQ charity for Africa

Before you give, ask four questions. Does the charity work through local organisations? Does it protect the identities of the people it helps? Does it fund partner security? Will it report results without putting anyone at risk?

We answer each of those on our LGBTQ+ safety and health pages. For a wider checklist, read how to choose a charity working in Africa and our complete guide on how to donate to Africa. You can also check any US charity in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search; for GiveToAfrica, search for EIN 27-3982730.

What happens after you donate

First, your email receipt arrives as soon as your payment clears. Next, your gift is recorded against the cause you chose and released to trusted local partners against an agreed budget.

Subsequently, partners provide shelter, legal aid and health care, and they account for spending without identifying anyone. Finally, every quarter, you receive an anonymised field report. You can read more about why we send field reports and how we work.

Contact GiveToAfrica

We accept donations from all 50 US states and from supporters worldwide. Have a question before you give? Email info@givetoafrica.net, use our contact form, or tap the WhatsApp button on this page. We reply to every message within two working days.

If you or someone you know is in danger right now, please contact a local emergency service or a trusted local organisation first. GiveToAfrica funds support through partners and cannot respond to individual emergencies directly.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to donate to LGBTIQ causes in Africa?

Yes. Your gift goes to GiveToAfrica, a registered US 501(c)(3), and reaches people through trusted local partners. We never publish the identities of the people helped, and your own name is only shown if you choose.

Can I donate anonymously?

Your name is only shown on the site if you tick "show my name" when you give. We still need your name and email for your tax receipt, but we never share them. See our privacy policy for details.

Are donations to LGBTIQ support in Africa tax-deductible?

Yes. GiveToAfrica is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 27-3982730, so gifts from US donors are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Your email receipt is valid for your tax records.

Why don't you show photos of the people you help?

Because it could put them in danger. In many countries, being identified as LGBTIQ can lead to violence, eviction or arrest. That is why our pages show flags, not faces, and our reports are anonymised.

What does $50 do?

In our current budget, $50 pays for a week of emergency safe housing for someone forced from their home. Larger gifts fund legal aid, health care and peer counselling.

Ready to donate to LGBTIQ support in Africa?

You have seen how discreet support works and what it provides. Now choose the cause that matters most to you, or browse all 38 causes: emergency support or health access. Alternatively, give where it is needed most today.

If you have a question first, contact our team. We would be glad to help.