Many Asylum Seekers and Refugees face homelessness, destitution, isolation, exclusion and housing issues. LGBTQ+ asylum seekers face additional barriers due to marginalisation and a culture of disbelief in their asylum application. Covid-19 has aggravated these issues causing the physical and mental health of many individuals to deteriorate further.

Pride Without Borders provides support to LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and refugees. We meet vital needs of individuals and families on issues including shelter, food, safety, medication, digital devices and data. Our project provides a weekly support group, wellbeing phone calls and support with evidencing asylum claims. We are proud of this extremely successful project, but we need your help to continue this crucial work.

All LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers we support are Black, Asian or an Ethnic Minority. They do not have the right to work, and all face homelessness and destitution. They live on £39.63 a week in often crammed houses with other individuals who can be homophobic. They may have to hide their gender or sexual orientation to not encounter abuse where they are housed. In addition, 3 out of 4 of them will be refused asylum by the Home Office due to a culture of disbelief. They become homeless and their allowance is cut off once they are refused protection as refugees.

They need safe housing, destitution support, a sense of belonging and assistance with evidencing their asylum claim.

PRIDE WITHOUT BORDERS currently has 45 active members, 5 of whom are trans. The project meets vital needs of individuals and families including shelter, food, safety, medication, devices and data. In addition, our team reach up to 30 people each week to provide wellbeing services and combat isolation and respond to mental health emergencies. Our PRIDE group have multiple online platforms for daily communication as well as weekly support meetings.

But most importantly, we provide support with people's asylum application. We help them prove their gender identity and/or sexual orientation, which they often had been hiding their whole life due to fear of persecution. We provide evidence in their application or we appear in court as witnesses during an appeal. This is very extensive and intensive work that is highly costly. But through this important work we have secured refugee status to 35 people. This means they can now live in the U.K. with dignity and without fear of deportation to a country where their life is under threat.

Impact: What can we achieve with your donations?

£10: Can pay for a weekly phone call to 10 people who are destitute, isolated and with serious mental health needs, to provide emotional support, validation, help accessing counselling, food, credit, data or legal advice.

£20: Can pay for transport costs to access medical appointments and counselling particularly for vulnerable members who are disabled due to physical impairments or serious mental illness.

£50: Can pay for a group meeting that benefits up to 20 people each time to build confidence, self esteem, friendships and hope.

£165: Can pay for preparing for and accompanying someone to an appeal to prove their asylum claim.

£1000: Can provide extensive support to up to 10 individuals and their families with multifaceted needs including homelessness and destitution. These require expensive telephone interpreting services that can cost up to £54 an hour. What do asylum seekers say about PRIDE WITHOUT BORDERS (PWB):

Our team was heavily involved in evidencing Ade's claim in his application for asylum. Ade is from Nigeria, where same sex marriage or any same sex relationship is heavily criminalised. We have helped him evidence his asylum claim based on his sexuality in his application. After a long and stressful wait, finally, his claim has been successful and he has received his refugee status allowing him to work and rebuild his life in the U.K. to live freely and in safety.

Ade is a very friendly and supportive member of our Pride Without Borders group with some great dance moves. We are delighted with this positive outcome. He said:

We wish him the best going forward. He is one of the 33 members we have supported to get their refugee status in this project. PLEASE DONATE TODAY so we can continue our vital work.

To read about our member Mosi's story, go to our blog.