Gay Professional Network: December 2024

Dear Jean-Francois

Today is Giving Tuesday, the Global Day of Giving!

And we have exciting news: we have just secured our 25th safe house for LGBTQI people fleeing persecution! But we need your help to get it ready so four new residents can move in.

It costs about £5000 to buy everything for a new safe house, including beds, chairs and the housing pack each resident needs. Can you help us?

There are three ways you can help:
🏠 buy a household item from our Amazon wish list for a housing pack
💸 make a one-off donation, or
🤗 become an ally (our top choice as it means committing to support us all year round)

How can my donation help LGBTQI people fleeing persecution?
•           £10 can buy a duvet cover set
•           £20 can buy a clothes airer
•           £30 can buy a toaster and kettle set
•           £40 can buy a set of cookware
•           £50 can buy a vacuum cleaner
•           £100 can buy a lawn mower

Once open, this new house will expand our capacity to over 35,000 safe bed-nights a year. It’s a huge number, but we know it’s nowhere near enough to keep the 2000+ LGBTQI people who seek protection in the UK every year safe. Donate now!

Why do we need this support?
2024 has seen positive and negative developments in LGBTQI rights around the world. Same-sex marriage become legal in Thailand and Greece, and Namibia and Dominica decriminalised homosexual acts. However, in Ghana, the situation for LGBTQI people became even more dire after a new, even more punitive anti-LGBTQI law was proposed in February. Same-sex sexual activity between men is already criminalised in Ghana and punished with a three-year prison sentence. The new Bill proposes 10-year sentences for people engaging in LGBTQI advocacy aimed at children, and encourages citizens to report LGBTQI people to the authorities.

Micro Rainbow already supports several LGBTQI people from Ghana. If this new law passes, it will force even more LGBTQI Ghanaians to try and find safety in the UK. We are ready to support them, and by becoming an ally you can help ensure that they can access safe and inclusive housing, activities and support when they get here.

Thank you for thinking of Micro Rainbow this Giving Tuesday! We will keep you updated with the progress of the new safe house.

The Micro Rainbow Team
#ChangingLGBTQiLives

A sneak peek! Can you help us buy the things we need to furnish more rooms in the new safe house? Do it now!

A big thank you

2024 has been a bumper year for one-off fundraising donations to Micro Rainbow! Our amazing supporters have donned their running shoes, bought zines, attended parties and cackled to drag kings, all to benefit LGBTQI people fleeing persecution.

Runners
Our congratulations to Jordan, who completed the Valencia marathon, Ana who ran The Wall ultramarathon, Barry and the team who ran the Pride Run 10km, Ryan and JP who ran the Chester marathon, PLUS Lom who has been doggedly fastpacking the England Coastal Path since July!

Readers and ravers
The team from 77 Years Zine donated the profits from the sale of The History Between Us graphic novel to support our community. In June the TGTHR Pride fundraiser and raffle gave us a boost, as did Parma Ham's Wraith queer party in July, and Drag Down the Borders’ drag night in September also raised much appreciated funds for Micro Rainbow.

Thank you so much for your support. If you are interested in fundraising for Micro Rainbow, please get in touch, especially if you are a keen runner – we have places for the London Landmarks Half Marathon, taking place on 6 April 2025! Email info@microrainbow.org