The FDA initiative is a groundbreaking program specifically designed to empower and uplift emerging queer African youth leaders by equipping them with non-violent digital skills. Its primary objective is to advance these young individuals’ rights and overall well-being. We identified a pressing need for such a program due to the escalating challenges faced by LGBTQI+ communities in the region. In recent years, well-funded and organised opponents of LGBTQI+ rights have exploited digital platforms to propagate messages of hate and exclusion. The FDA program seeks to address this need by providing the necessary expertise and skills required by local activists. Through the FDA initiative, we aim to strengthen local campaigns in some of the most discriminatory countries across East, West, Southern, Central and Northern Africa. By empowering young queer leaders with digital skills and knowledge, we believe they can effectively challenge the narratives of hate and exclusion, promoting acceptance and equality within their communities.
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 by an experienced professional (the mentor). As a mentorship program, Zimuzo enables the mentees to learn from the mentors with resources and support from the AQYI. The mentees also collaborate with peers and design and implement goals and objectives aligning with their developmental interests and within a timeline.