Sponsorship

Queer Homes are back thanks to Munich’s community. Lesbians, gays, bi, trans*, inter* and queer (LGBTIQ*) – people from Bavaria’s capital donated more than 7000 Euros in mid-2018 in order to reopen two Queer Homes in Odesa and Kryvyi Rih, operated by Gay Alliance Ukraine in Kyiv, Munich’s twin city.

Some time ago, the LGBTIQ*-organisation had to close its community centres all over the country due to lack of funds. Munich Kyiv Queer wanted to remedy the situation and set up its own sponsorship programme. Join in!

Gay Alliance Ukraine before had established seven Queer Homes in recent years. In 2017, the funding from abroad had run out and the committed activists who had been involved in Queer Homes’ activities suddenly stood on the streets. But these meeting places were a successful project because they had mobilized so many people in their free time to engage in joint activities, including political ones, on a voluntary basis. There has never been anything like this in Ukraine before!

It seemed natural therefore to bring back the highly motivated activists to their centres. “The local activists have repeatedly stressed how important it is for them to have rooms where they can offer their own voluntary events,” says Conrad Breyer, Munich Kyiv Queer’s spokesperson. Queer Home’s activities range from counselling, self-help and leisure time to political campaigns. Donators who support Queer Homes will be happy to be honoured.

A good PR might help!

In the meantime, our Ukrainian partners succeeded in finding regular funding for the existing Queer Homes in Odesa, Kryvyi Rih and Vinnytsia. Kyiv is operative, too, but works with the help of volunteers and donations.  If you want to support them, please contact us.

“It is very important for us not to stop and not to lose the pace of change that has already been achieved”, says Olena Ganich from Gay Alliance Ukraine, especially after the pandemic. “LGBTIQ*-people from Munich gave us support at a very important turning point, and it is undeniably an example of solidarity, friendship and help. Thanks to Munich’s sponsorship campaign, the LGBTIQ*-community of three cities in Ukraine again have the opportunity to communicate and develop itself in a common safe space. We hope that the Queer Homes will be the places where a lot of creative ideas on improving the situation for LGBTIQ*-people will be brought to life.”