In Uganda, the Mbarara Rise Foundation, comprised of activists and educators who advocate for health services and the human rights of LGBTQ people in western Uganda, is shedding light on the plight of hungry HIV-positive queer men who have lost work due to the crisis.

“Many work in bars, casinos, or in other gathering places, which have all been shuttered under the lock-down,” Mbarara Rise Foundation’s founder and executive director, Real Raymond, said in a written statement. “This is a tough situation for the LGBTQI people who are HIV-positive who, in addition to limited access to medical services, have no food to eat.”

He continued, “The majority are daily income earners and this means during the lockdown they are not making a living. Many of our members have silently stopped taking their daily HIV treatment due to lack of food to eat. The medications they have been prescribed are strong and cannot be taken on an empty stomach, which has led many to stop taking their medication entirely.”

Raymond also pointed to yet another dilemma unfolding as a result of the precarious situation facing HIV-positive individuals: Those who are unable to take their medication could leave their immune system even more vulnerable to coronavirus.

“Those who stopped taking their meds are putting their lives in great danger, but they tell me that whenever they take them on an empty stomach, their body becomes too weak, feverish, and headachey,” he said. “When I talked to one such member, he said he is willing to resume once he finds something to eat… but for the time being, under the current circumstances, it is not possible.”

In response, the Mbarara Rise Foundation launched a fundraiser aimed at providing HIV-positive gay Ugandans with food, masks, and other necessities. The items will also be provided to queer individuals who are quarantined in rural areas.

In addition to advocacy and health-based services, the Mbarara Rise Foundation has played a purposeful role in leading economic empowerment programs to help queer Ugandans become financially independent. Among those programs include opportunities for members to learn how to bake cakes and make bricks. Read more via Gay City News