Queer · Feminist · Survivor-led

From Rescue to Recovery.

Afrinalia works alongside LGBTQIA+ survivors across East Africa to find safety, rebuild their lives and lead change in their communities.

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Nairobi, KenyaBased in
East AfricaWorking across
2023Established

Explore Afrinalia

Find your way in.

Reach our team for support, learn how our programmes work, or find a way to get involved.

Find support

Contact our team about protection, referrals and recovery support.

Explore programmes

See how Protection and Community Development support survivors.

Browse resources

Visit the Resource Hub for information and materials from Afrinalia.

Work with us

Meet our partners and explore ways to collaborate with Afrinalia.

Who We Are

Recovery extends beyond safety.

Afrinalia is a queer, feminist and survivor-led organisation working with LGBTQIA+ people across East Africa. Our two programmes, Protection and Community Development, bring together emergency response, safe shelter and longer-term recovery support.

We work with survivors of trafficking, exploitation, gender-based violence and other forms of violence, as well as displaced people, refugees, asylum seekers and local community members at risk.

Survivors help design our programmes and make decisions about the support their communities need. We work with partners to meet urgent needs and address the conditions that put people at risk.

Survivor-centred Trauma-informed Inclusive and intersectional Community-led

Our Programmes

Protection and community development.

Protection

We respond to emergencies and support survivors through shelter, case management and legal referrals.

Emergency response Rapid intervention, temporary safe spaces, relocation and help accessing medical care.
Safe shelter Secure stays of one to six months, psychosocial care and peer support.
Legal aid Referrals for legal representation, ongoing case management and regular case reviews.
Awareness and prevention Policy advocacy, media production and community rights education.
Case documentation Confidential intake, incident tracking and evidence gathering for legal and advocacy work.

Community Development

We work with survivors to build lasting livelihoods, supportive relationships and opportunities to lead.

Skills and knowledge production Practical training, leadership development and community-led advocacy.
Economic justice and development Livelihood opportunities that help people build financial independence.
Reintegration Planned pathways for survivors to reconnect safely with supportive communities.
Communal healing Peer support and community mental health initiatives that make space for diverse queer experiences.

From Rescue to Recovery

What recovery can involve.

Support can begin with emergency protection or shelter and continue through psychosocial care, livelihoods and reintegration.

Rescue

Emergency Protection

Safe Shelter

Psychosocial Support

Economic Justice

Knowledge Production

Community Reintegration

Our Impact

The reach of our work.

Afrinalia’s organisation profile records the reach of our programmes, outreach and partnerships.

680+People reached through protection and community programmes

260+Survivors supported through shelter and case management

100+Community dialogues, trainings, and advocacy engagements

40+Strategic institutional partnerships

Why Our Work Matters

Survivors need safe pathways through systemic barriers.

Across East Africa, LGBTQIA+ people can face violence, trafficking, homelessness and barriers to essential services. These risks often overlap, especially after displacement or family rejection.

Legal barriers

Punitive laws and policies can make it harder for survivors to seek safety and access justice.

Unsafe migration

Violence, family rejection and stigma can push displaced people into unsafe migration routes, where exploitation is a serious risk.

Trafficking and access to support

LGBTQIA+ survivors can face discrimination when seeking help. Afrinalia connects queer community organising with anti-trafficking support.

Housing and mental health

Displacement and family rejection can leave people without safe housing and take a lasting toll on mental health.

Economic exclusion

Discrimination limits access to work and sustainable livelihoods, increasing financial dependence and exposure to exploitation.

A Story of Hope

Safety can become the foundation for a future.

“Having to interact with Afrinalia day-in, day-out, it reminded me that I should belong as me, not as someone else.”— From Afrinalia’s organisation profile

Our Approach

How we work with survivors.

Survivor-centred

Survivors help design services and decide how those services are delivered.

Trauma-informed

We prioritise safety, choice and dignity in every interaction.

Inclusive and intersectional

We respond to the overlapping barriers people face because of their identities and circumstances.

Community-led

Peer networks and local partners help shape responses that work in their communities.

Our Foundation

Dignity, inclusion, justice, and lasting change.

Vision

A just and inclusive world where every person, regardless of identity or background, lives free from exploitation, violence and systemic injustice.

Mission

To end modern-day slavery, exploitation and violence affecting LGBTQIA+ people across East Africa.

Core Values

Human dignity
Inclusion
Integrity
Accountability
Solidarity
Innovation

Our Journey

From a transitional shelter to regional programmes.

2023Founded Afrinalia and opened the transitional shelter.
2024Expanded programmes and strengthened partnerships.
2025Expanded protection services and strengthened organisational capacity.
2026Extended regional work and began introducing longer-term programmes.

Our Leadership

Specialist roles aligned around survivor-centred impact.

Executive Director

Provides strategic leadership, strengthens partnerships, and guides Afrinalia’s vision across East Africa.

Programmes Officer

Designs, implements, and evaluates survivor-centred programmes and evidence-based impact.

Shelter Manager

Leads safe, inclusive, and dignified shelter services that promote healing and stability.

Finance & Operations Officer

Oversees financial stewardship, operations, compliance, and resource management.

Legal & Advocacy Officer

Advances legal protection, policy engagement, and human rights advocacy.

Communications Officer

Shapes Afrinalia’s public voice through ethical storytelling and strategic communications.

Mental Health Officer

Leads trauma-informed psychosocial support for survivors of violence, trafficking and displacement.

Safeguarding Officer

Oversees physical, digital and operational safety for survivors, staff and community members.

Resource Mobiliser

Builds funding relationships and mobilises resources for community-led programmes and advocacy.

Governance & Accountability

Trust is built through ethical systems.

Strong governance is the foundation of our work. We uphold ethical leadership, responsible stewardship, transparency, and continuous learning so every programme delivers meaningful and measurable impact.

Board Oversight

Strategic leadership and oversight that guide our mission and ensure accountability.

Safeguarding

Protecting the dignity, safety and well-being of survivors, community members, staff and board members.

Financial Accountability

Responsible management of resources through sound financial controls and compliance.

Monitoring & Evaluation

Using evidence and data to measure impact and improve programme effectiveness.

Risk Management

Identifying and mitigating risks to strengthen organisational resilience.

Transparency

Building trust through ethical conduct, open communication, and accountable reporting.

Strategic Partnerships

The organisations we work with.

We work alongside development partners, civil society organisations, government institutions, healthcare providers, legal actors, community leaders, and grassroots networks to strengthen protection systems and improve outcomes.

View partnerships

Looking Ahead

Where we’re going next.

We’re working to make protection and recovery services easier to reach and to build the partnerships that sustain them.

Expand protection services

Increase regional partnerships

Strengthen economic justice

Enhance advocacy efforts

Invest in research and archive our stories

Promote organisational sustainability

Contact

Start a conversation with Afrinalia.

Reach out if you’re looking for support, want to make a referral, or would like to collaborate.

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