Powering Queer Youth Movement Across Africa
We are a network of queer youth activists mobilising, supporting and amplifying the voice of LGBTQI+ youths, building visibility and strategic networks supporting the LGBTQI+ youth movement in Africa from Nairobi to Lagos, Accra to Kampala.
TRUSTED BY LEADING AFRICAN LBTQB ORGANISATIONS & INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
Who we are
A movement built by and for African queer youth
The African Queer Youth Initiative (AQYI) is a pan-African, youth-led organization that champions the rights, wellbeing, and leadership of LGBTQ+ young people across Africa. We are a movement, a community, and a force.
What we do
Programs Built around Queer African Realities
Every program we run is co-designed with the communities we serve — because change that lasts comes from within.
Economic Justice
We train, mentor, and resource queer African youth to become confident advocates and community leaders
The MawuLisa fellowship program is a 6-month dedicated program to support emerging and mid-career young African LBTQ+ womxn/activists from Francophone West African countries. The MawuLisa Fellowship Program fills a crucial void by providing leadership support to queer activists in Francophone West African countries.Â
The Zimuzo mentorship program aims to support and empower young LGBTQI+ persons between the ages of 15 – 25 With leadership and professional influence, guidance, and direction through an experienced professional (the mentor).Â
Fueling Digital Activism
The FDA initiative is a ground-breaking program specifically designed to empower and uplift emerging queer African youth leaders by equipping them with non-violent digital skills. It aims to advance African LGBTQI+ rights advocacy through the use of safe and secure digital platforms.
Advocacy and Activism
We train, mentor, and resource queer African youth to become confident advocates and community leaders
Queer Youth Ambassadors
The Queer Youth Ambassador Programme aimed at empowering LGBT+ activists from countries in East and West Africa. The programme will train activists to become ambassadors and implement advocacy initiatives in their respective countries with technical and financial support from AQYI.  Developing the skills of the ambassadors will contribute towards regional movement building for LGBT+ advocacy through structured interventions.Â
Knowledge Management and Research​
We produce policy briefs, toolkits, and research reports that centre African queer lived experiences contributing to the global knowledge base on LGBTQ+ rights in Africa.
The research aims to help understand the nuances that hinder African queer youths from accessing the COVID vaccine, what negative implications exist, available vaccine locations, and recommendations from findings. The research was conducted across five target regions of Africa (North, South, East, West, and Central), and you will discover relevant findings in the report.
Developed as a follow-up recommendation from the research, the toolkit aims to ensure that the insights and recommendations generated through the Feminist
Participatory Action Research (FPAR) framework are not only accessible but also implementable by organizations and their supporters.Â
Our Impact
Numbers that tell a movement story
Building queer African power
since 2016 – learning, growing, and
pushing forward.
for crisis and emergency response support to activists and organizations
Youth equipped with advocacy skills and movement-building tools across the continent.
A growing pan-African network spanning East, West, Southern, and Central Africa.
Local, regional, and international partners amplifying our reach and impact.
Take Action
Our Movement Needs You
Whether you’re a young activist, a funding body, or an ally. There is a place for you in the AQYI community.
Partner With Us
Organizations and institutions can collaborate with us through co-programming, funding, or joint advocacy.
Support our work
Your financial contribution directly funds youth fellowships, safe spaces, campaigns, and health access programs.
Become an Advocate
Apply for our leadership programs, fellowships, and advocacy training as a queer African youth leader.
