The Refugee Coalition of East Africa (RefCEA) has greatly expanded its programming over the past several months, including a new program of Wellness Sessions for the LGBTQI refugee community. The program launched this week with a Wellness Session for Mental Health, Living with HIV and AIDS, and Gender Based Violence on Wednesday, 28 August.
The event was one of the three psychosocial support sessions planned for the coming months. Each session is meant to help the community find some relief through group support and participatory games. For “Mental Health, Living with HIV and AIDS, and Gender Based Violence” RefCEA invited 30 participants from the community. In the morning, participants were a part of presentations about living with (and preventative measures for) HIV and AIDS. Everyone then shared a meal, and the afternoon program was a Gender Based Violence session which included a mental health presentation. Presenters from RefCEA included Drake (who is certified by the National Aids and STI Control Program: NASCOP) Dharlie, Purity, and Doreen.
Participants in the session came from Nature Network, Refugee Trans Initiative, Foundation for Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Refugees and throughout the LGBTQI refugee community in and around Nairobi. The day ended with a football match between ReFCEA staff and community members which closed the day at around 5 pm.
As an organization, RefCEA envisions a unified, empowered, and self-reliant LGBTQI refugee community in Kenya which is protected and supported in all pertinent matters. Community and personal support is a starting place for the work of the Coalition, but without legal protections, work authorizations, proper medical care, mental health care, and housing support the LGBTQI refugee community continues to suffer.
