Lotus Insight Sangha and
the International Kakuma Lesbian Refugees and Kids’ Collaboration
How do we maintain our humanity while experiencing incredible obstacles, violence and hardships?
In their home countries these women’s lives were in danger. Forced into arranged marriages, abused, and when discovered to have relationships with women, threatened with violence, losing their kids, and even death by family members. They needed to flee, with their children. Many landed at this giant Kakuma refugee camp, in the northern desert of Kenya. Even in the Kakuma refugee camp, they continued to experience harassment and violence at the hands of other residents, police, and the UNHCR authorities who should be ensuring their safety.
Lotus Insight Sangha works with the International Kakuma Lesbian Refugee and Kids Collaboration. We are the fiscal sponsor and help gather funds for medicine, food, shelters, and rents, for lesbian sisters and their families stranded in Kenya and nearby countries waiting to be granted exit visas. Because they are queer, they have been waiting many years to get official status to emigrate to safe countries. And with the US currently closed as an option, many refugees are stranded, needing to wait for other overburdened countries to respond.
*A new obstacle in June 2026 is the recent outbreak of E-Boli Virus and the decision of Canada to suspend further processing of visas until the virus is under control. This is exacerbated by the US withdrawal from the World Health Organization and the stopping of all US AID that contributed towards food at the Kakuma camp.
African Lesbian Refugees, often with kids, are working with this challenge everyday.
These lesbians have fled oppressive conditions in nations such as Uganda, Republic of the Congo and Burundi; only to face violence and deprivation in the UNHCR Kakuma Refugee Camp in Northern Kenya.
These sisters have powerful stories and wisdom to share: the challenges they’ve faced, the victories they’ve won, and the ongoing fight for safety and dignity.
A really happy monthly Collaboration meeting when three of the Kakuma sisters and their families finally were approved for asylum in Canada.
Make a Tax Deductible Donation for Kakuma Refugees
PayPal Link:https://www.paypal.com/donate/hosted_button_id=ZDAH6XN8R42LC
Donate by check and mail to:
Lotus Insight Sangha
PO Box 28781, Seattle WA 98118
(Please write “Kakuma” in the memo line)
Other Ways to Donate (not tax deductible)
Click here for: GoFundMe Donation
Email us with questions or for more information or if you would like to consider work with the Collaboration.
Get a look at how mutual aid and international advocacy can work in practice. Discover concrete ways you can stand in solidarity and make a difference.
We can use help with outreach and publicity, social media and web posting, of course fund raising. Contact us also if you would like to come to our international monthly meeting on the 3rd Sunday of each month at 9:30am for Pacific Time.