Two years of war! That’s what we have achieved so far

Since the start of the war, Munich Kyiv Queer has collected over 200,000 euros in donations for queer war victims in Ukraine and helped refugees to start a new life in Germany.

Solidarity with Ukraine is unbroken – at least in Munich. Since 24 February 2022, we, who have been campaigning for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, inter* and queer people in Munich’s twin city Kyiv and beyond since 2012, have been asking for donations again and again. To date, exactly 228,938.78 euros have been collected.

What looks like a lot of money at first glance quickly turned out to be a scarce resource. So far, our initiative has given an average of 200 euros per person in one-off emergency aid to individuals. This corresponds to just under half an average monthly income in Ukraine. A private fundraising campaign allows for quick, free and unbureaucratic action. And because the need is great, there are currently only 27,682.63 euros left (status of 21 February 2024).

Munich Kyiv Queer joining Munich’s protest against the right in January 2024. Photo: Conrad Breyer

The money is given to queer people in need who have lost their jobs, been bombed out, are ill or have had to flee. As a vulnerable group, LGBTIQ* people are often particularly alone in such situations, as they cannot always rely on stable family structures and their circles of friends, often their families of choice, have often been torn apart in the course of the flight movements.

Thanks to the donors and the team

Conrad Breyer, spokesperson for Munich Kyiv Queer, is delighted with the unbroken solidarity. “We are so incredibly grateful for the help!” It comes from Munich’s community, its many committed people and organisations; it comes from Munich’s civil society and often from artists, especially from the drag scene, who offer Munich Kyiv Queer a platform for fundraising and aid campaigns. However, help also reaches them from all over Germany and even from abroad.

Queer shelter in Zhytomyr 2022. Photo: You are not alone

For a small, voluntary group like Munich Kyiv Queer with just a dozen members, it is an outstanding achievement to have raised so much money, says Conrad. “Many of us have been working non-stop for years, especially since the start of the war, to organise support for our partner organisations and friends in Ukraine.”

How Munich Kyiv Queer helps

And the commitment is by no means limited to donations. Munich Kyiv Queer also looks after people who have come to Munich: We help them with dealing with the authorities and bureaucracy, support them find accommodation and mingle into the German society and Munich’s community through a mentorship programme.

Munich’s LGBTIQ* community shows solidarity at a queer networking meeting in 2023. Photo: MKQ

With the donations, Munich Kyiv Queer has so far been able to help around 1000 individuals who need the funds for food, hygiene articles, clothing, (HIV) medication, operations, hormones, rent, escape, documents and even funerals. There is a lack of everything!

In the past six months, the donations have gone to people (names changed) like:

Vitalyna and Masha, two lesbian women with children, who were recently evacuated from the occupied Mariupol. They needed money for rent, papers and food
Lina, a trans* woman from Kharkiv. She does not currently earn enough to cover her rent and other needs in full
Dmytro, a gay man from Pavlohrad. He was beaten up and needed money for an operation.

“This help is really invaluable for our community. Just to feel that we are not left alone in this war and that we can rely on friends in Munich and elsewhere means everything to us,” says Stanislav Mishchenko, board member of KyivPride. Stas is also a member of Munich Kyiv Queer.

Exhibition “I am from Ukraine. I am in Ukraine” in Berlin 2023. Photo: HBS

Every request for help is checked for credibility in collaboration with Munich Kyiv Queer’s queer partner organisations in Ukraine. If the LGBTIQ* organisations in Ukraine are able to provide support themselves, for example by issuing vouchers for food, medicine and hygiene products, they will do so. In all other cases, Munich Kyiv Queer steps in.

Part of the Queer Emergency Aid Ukraine

It should also be mentioned that Munich Kyiv Queer, together with around 40 other German LGBTIQ* organisations, is part of the Queer Emergency Aid Ukraine alliance, which it co-founded in February 2022. “Queere Nothilfe Ukraine” provides dedicated support to Ukrainian LGBTIQ* organisations. It has raised over one million euros since 24 February.

Ukrainian LGBTIQ* organisations use the money for their own aid programmes and for shelters. However, not all queer people are connected to these bodies or know them, which is why Munich Kyiv Queer supplements the offer with its individual case help.

Ukrainian delegation marching at Munich Pride in 2023. Photo: MKQ

The war is now entering its third year, with no end in sight. If you would like to continue to help, you can do so HERE. At MunichKyivQuer.org/donations we also list how your support helps and we blog about the current situation for LGBTIQ* in Ukraine. You can also find information about our projects going on.

This is how you can donate

INDIVIDUAL HELP Munich Kyiv Queer has its own fundraising campaign via https://www.paypal.me/ConradBreyer to support queer people in Ukraine who are in need or on the run. Why? Because not all LGBTIQ* are organised in the local LGBTIQ*-groups. This help is direct, fast and free of charge if you choose the option “For friends and family” on PayPal. If you don’t have PayPal, you can alternatively send money to the private account of Conrad Breyer, speaker of Munich Kyiv Queer, IBAN: DE427015000021121454.

All requests from the community are meticulously checked in cooperation with our partner organisations in Ukraine. If they can help themselves, they take over. If the demands for help exceed their (financial and/or material) possibilities, we will step in.

HELP FOR LGBTIQ* ORGANISATIONS To support LGBTIQ* in Ukraine we have helped set up the Alliance Queer Emergency Aid Ukraine, in which around 40 German LGBTIQ* Human Rights organisations are involved. All these groups have access to very different Human Rights organisations in Ukraine and use funds for urgently needed care or evacuation of queer people. Every donation helps and is used 100 percent to benefit queer people in Ukraine. Donate here

Questions? www.MunichKyivQueer.org/donations

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