Seven years ago, GiveOut partnered with Macquarie, The Funding Network, and Consortium to launch City for LGBT+ – a pioneering fundraising event bringing together our community and allies to support LGBTQI human rights activism across the UK and globally. Since then, City for LGBT+ has raised over £420,000, channelling vital resources to 13 organisations spanning Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, the Western Balkans, SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa), and beyond.
These aren’t just numbers. Behind each organisation is a story of transformation – landmark legal victories that set precedents for entire communities, capacity building that strengthens movements, advocacy that challenges discriminatory laws, and networks of support that sustain long-term change. When LGBTQI rights face unprecedented threats globally, with criminalisation spreading and hard-won freedoms being stripped away, this work creates the foundation for resilient, thriving communities.
The stories below illustrate how support raised through City for LGBT+ has created real, measurable change for LGBTQI communities worldwide.
Lebanon: Finding Hope Amidst War
When crisis erupted in Lebanon, Helem, an LGBTQI rights organisation, transformed overnight from an advocacy group into an emergency lifeline. Their helpline was inundated with over 800 calls from displaced queer individuals fleeing conflict zones, many forced into unsafe, overcrowded conditions with family members who rejected their identities.
Helem’s response was swift and comprehensive. They established emergency response teams covering shelter, food, healthcare, and round-the-clock support. They provided safe accommodation and daily meals for 40 displaced LGBTQI individuals, creating spaces where people could simply exist without fear.
But perhaps the most profound impact came in unexpected ways. One young man from a conservative background arrived at Helem’s shelter carrying deep-seated prejudices about LGBTQI people, particularly transgender individuals. Through daily interactions, shared meals, and open conversations with the community, his perspective shifted entirely.
“I came here thinking I knew who ‘they’ were,” he reflected. “I leave knowing that we are all just people, each carrying our own pain and strength. I’ve found hope here – hope I didn’t think I could feel during this war.”
His family also experienced this transformation, expressing profound gratitude for the care they received and recognising the humanity and resilience of the LGBTQI community they’d been taught to fear.
Kenya: A Landmark Victory for Justice
For three years, the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) pursued justice for Edwin Chiloba, a queer Kenyan fashion designer who was brutally murdered in January 2023. The case became a test of whether LGBTQI individuals in Kenya could access fair treatment within the legal system.
NGLHRC provided direct legal representation throughout the trial, documenting evidence, supporting witnesses, and ensuring the case received the attention it deserved. Their persistence sent a clear message: LGBTQI lives matter, and those who take them will be held accountable.
On 16 December 2024, Justice Nyakundi at the High Court in Eldoret handed down a 50-year sentence to Jacktone Odhiambo, who was found guilty of Edwin’s murder. This landmark ruling ended the three-year legal battle and established a critical precedent – LGBTQI individuals in Kenya have the right to a fair trial and equal access to justice.
But NGLHRC’s work extends far beyond this single case. In 2024 alone, they received and documented 1,090 cases of human rights violations from at least 16 counties across Kenya, plus cases from Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania. Through their pro-bono legal aid clinic, staffed by five lawyers and two therapists working alongside trained community paralegals, they successfully resolved more than 50% of reported cases.
Their advocacy has also achieved crucial victories beyond the courtroom. Through combined advocacy initiatives with partners, NGLHRC successfully stalled the proposed Family Protection Bill – discriminatory legislation that threatened to further criminalise LGBTQI identities in Kenya. The bill remains in preliminary legislative stages, unable to progress due to sustained resistance from the community and its allies.
NGLHRC’s work creates safety and protection in a hostile environment, proving that with adequate resources and unwavering commitment, legal systems can be made to serve justice for all.
United Kingdom: Building Resilience Through Community
In June 2024, Consortium launched the Trans and Non-Binary Fund: Devolved Nations, making grants available to organisations led by and for trans, non-binary, and intersex people across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. By October 2024, 12 groups had been awarded funding – support that would prove vital as communities faced mounting hostility and legal challenges in the months ahead.
In Scotland, one organisation expanded their mental health and wellbeing course from five to eight weeks, creating space for 14 trans and non-binary people to engage in sessions on anxiety, self-care, outdoor wellbeing, and creative expression. As participants worked through the programme in early 2025, the UK Supreme Court judgment in April created widespread anxiety across trans and non-binary communities. The course provided critical emotional support during this profoundly difficult period.
During an outdoor wellbeing session, the group was targeted by a transphobic hate incident. The facilitators acted quickly to ensure participants’ immediate safety and provided follow-up support. But rather than let fear stop them, the organisation transformed this negative experience into action – they began developing resources to help other groups respond safely to hate incidents, demonstrating how community protection and resilience-building work in practice.
Meanwhile in Belfast, City for LGBT+ funding helped sustain Northern Ireland’s only dedicated trans centre by contributing to rent costs throughout 2024. This enabled the organisation to continue providing a vital, affirming space where trans and non-binary people can access peer support, attend social events, and connect with their community. The centre grew their user base, recruited new volunteers, and significantly expanded the number of individuals supported, strengthening crucial infrastructure for trans people who often experience high levels of isolation.
The Power of Solidarity in Action
Over seven years, City for LGBT+ has funded work that creates lasting change – from legal representation securing justice and setting precedents, to capacity building that strengthens organisational resilience, to pro-bono legal aid clinics and advocacy that challenges discriminatory legislation. It’s about psychological support for trauma survivors, building networks that connect and empower communities, and creating the infrastructure that enables movements to thrive. And perhaps most powerfully, it’s about offering solidarity and hope when LGBTQI communities face their greatest challenges.
Join Us This Year
On 15 October 2025, City for LGBT+ will support ISDAO in West Africa, Mongolia LGBT Centre, and Consortium in the UK – if you’re in London, join us at 6:00pm for an evening of inspiring speakers and the opportunity to pledge your support.
Register here.