The African Queer Youth Initiative team consists of young leaders from diverse backgrounds across Africa. With our experience, diverse skills and knowledge, we advance the mission and vision of AQYI. We are youth leaders, young professionals, grassroots activists, artists and above all, human beings passionate about human rights. The team consists of a volunteer network of youth from Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, Republic of Mauritius, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Amanda Bosco
Country: Uganda
Pronoun: She, Her
Amanda is a youth activist and human rights defender. She is a peer educator for the Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum and is currently a part-time advocacy officer at Transgender Equality Uganda. Amanda is also a civic YALI graduate. She also volunteers with the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights and the UN women informal reference group on LGBTI issues.
Amavi Ayité Sitou (Jean Paul)
Country: Togo
Pronoun: He, Him
Jean Paul, based in Togo, is a young activist and independent consultant in project management. Jean Paul is the executive director of the Togolese Association for Abandoned Women (ATFA), an association for the prevention of STI/HIV where he coordinates all the projects. AFTA intervenes in the field of art and culture as an advocacy tool for the defence of women’s rights and in particular key populations.
Wiem Askri
Country: Tunisia
Pronoun: They, Them, Their
Askri self-identifies as a non-binary person and has been volunteering since a young age. Askri was able to work with several national and international association and is currently working on transitional justice in Tunisia advocating for human rights, gender equality and LGBT+ rights with the aim that one day, people would be able to enjoy freedom and equality without having to leave their country.
Boye Black
Country: Nigeria
Pronoun: He, Him
Boye is the founder of The Rustin Times, an online publication aimed at changing the narrative around LGBT persons on the continent. He is an experienced broadcast journalist with vast experience in online media. He is passionate about equality and continues to not only write about LGBT issues but volunteers with organisations dedicated to the fight for equality.
Dumiso Gatsha
Country: Botswana
Pronoun: They, Them
Dumiso is the founder of Success Capital Organisation, an emerging grass-roots, nationally operating young sexual minority led NGO in Botswana. Dumiso has served in multiple civil society roles with focus on HIV Prevention, youth LGBTIQ+ representation, advocacy and research. Dumiso’s experience includes working for PWC, GIZ, Zurich, UNDP and as a national consultant under the regional SOGIR Project.
Victor
Country: Kenya
Pronoun: He, Him
Victor is currently the director of Men Against AIDS Youth Group (MAAYGO) working with gay men and other Men who have Sex with Men in Kisumu county, Kenya. He is also among the key founders of AQYI. Victor is currently involved in a number of organisational management and development works such as fundraising, human resource management, program review and strengthening and quality management.
Fokeerbux Najeeb Ahmad
Country: Republic of Mauritius
Pronoun: N/A, He, Him
Najeeb, a young, queer activist from Mauritius, has worked with the African Queer Youth Initiative since 2016. Najeeb is also the founder and president of the Young Queer Alliance (YQA), a NGO working for LGBT youth in Mauritius. Previously, Najeeb held positions of responsibility in various organisations and has recently joined the Youth Reference Group (YRG) of the Men who have Sex with Men Global Forum (MSMGF).
Ifeatu Nnaobi
Country: Nigeria
Pronoun: She, Her
Ifeatu combines digital media and technology to challenge social inequality. She does this through new media projects, including short impact films, mini-documentaries, text, and Video Art. She has an LLB Law with International Relations degree from the University of Sussex and a Masters in International Public Policy from University College London. She is very passionate about LGBT rights and is a Campaigner for All Out.
Iradukunda Irwin
Country: Burundi
Pronoun: He, Him
Irwin, is a pan African and social justice activist based in Bujumbura, Burundi. His work focuses on youth, gender and sexuality issues in Africa. As the Director of Programs at the Movement pour les Libertés Individuelles, he covers a number of areas such as the rights of gender and sexual minorities and advocacy; security management & protection; and institutional strengthening & leadership development.
Jamal Malek
Country: Morocco
Pronoun: He, Him, They, Their
Jamal, 26 years old, is a Moroccan Amazigh (Berber) LGBTIQ+ gay activist. He is the one of the founders of Morocco’s first ever association to defend and stand up for sexual and religious minorities. Jamal is an English literature BA student at CADI AYYAD university of Marrakech-Morocco. He is also passionate about politics, culture, entrepreneurship, peace making and women studies.
Junior Basosila
Country: Democratic Republic of Congo
Pronoun: He, Him
Junior is an activist, researcher and human rights defender who works on LGBTI, gender and youth issues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As Executive Director of the Movement for the Promotion of Respect and Equality of Rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he covers a number of LGBTI-related areas through the research, documentation and advocacy and leadership development.
Sibo Oliver King
Country: Burundi
Pronoun: He, Him, They, Their
King is a community development advocate with a focus in support of human rights and youth empowerment. He is currently engaged with MOLI as the communication officer and the program officer for Atelier AGACIRO and Action MENYA Plus. King’s relationship with the creative industry is evolving by stepping in as a designer and entrepreneur. He enjoys development related discussions, visual arts, drag arts and travelling.
Lasavanne Jürgen Soocramanien
Country: Republic of Mauritius
Pronoun: He, Him
Jürgen is a gender studies graduate from the University of Mauritius. He is passionate about human rights with a strong interest in LGBTQIA issues, women rights movements and ethnic minorities. Jürgen is currently serving at the Young Queer Alliance, a youth-led and LGBT organisation. Jürgen has been advocating for LGBTQIA rights at 121st UNHRC session during the fifth periodic review of Mauritius in Geneva.
Mahmoud
Country: Egypt
Pronoun: He, Him
Mahmoud is a medical student from Egypt. He finds his passion through advocating for diversity and inclusion, raising awareness about health issues and being a leader of change in his community. Mahmoud is also a trainer on sexuality and gender. He loves art and music. Mahmoud also practices as a graphic designer.
Mariyem Gamar
Country: Morocco
Pronoun: She, Her
Mariyem, is Founder and executive director of Kasbah Tal’fin. She is a Human Rights Activist, focusing strongly on women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and youth empowerment. She’s also a citizen journalist and blogger, writing about issues related to the causes she advocates for. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and is the founder and co-manager of SCTGR Sip a “Coffee and Talk About your Gender Roles” project.
Qwin Fiona Mbabazi Nabagereka
Country: Uganda
Pronoun: She, Her
Qwin is an affirmative Feminist and is passionate
about Human Rights Activism in Uganda. Qwin is also an Alumni of Human Rights Campaign Global Innovators Summit of 2016 and was also part of the team that planned, organized and implemented the 1st Queer Kampala International Film Festival. Qwin also serves as Board Member of Equality Hub, a LBT organization based in Nigeria.
Shamim Salim
Country: Kenya
Pronoun: She, Her
Shamim is a Queer, Muslim, feminist and a human rights activist. Shamim currently works at Church World Service advocating for the rights of LGBTIQ refugees as well as inclusion of LGBTIQ persons in places of worship. She is also a Board Member of UHAI-EASHRI, an indigenous activist fund providing resources to support civil society activism around issues of sexuality, health and human rights in the East African region.