Trans Youth Initiative-Uganda

02/09/2026

25/08/2026

Two recent reports. One urgent question for Uganda’s HIV response: Are our investments reaching the people and communities most affected?

On August 7, 2026, New Vision reported a disproportionately high burden of HIV and other STIs among s*x workers across several Ugandan cities, with Mbarara recording the highest HIV prevalence among surveyed s*x workers at 42%, along with syphilis and HPV.

On August 24, 2026, Daily Monitor reported that Kampala is recording about 200 new HIV infections each week, with young people also significantly affected.

These findings should do more than generate alarming headlines. They should prompt serious reflection on how HIV prevention is designed, financed and delivered.

At Trans Youth Initiative-Uganda (TYI-Uganda), our work with rural transgender women, transgender s*x workers and gender-diverse young people reminds us that HIV vulnerability cannot be reduced to individual behavior.

We must ask harder questions:

Are HIV prevention investments reaching communities where the burden is highest?

Are condoms and lubricants consistently available? Is PrEP reaching those who need it? Can people access PEP promptly? Are HIV testing, self-testing and STI services accessible? Can transgender people, s*x workers and young people access these services safely, confidentially and free from stigma or discrimination?

Criminalization, violence, poverty, stigma, and exclusion from health services continue to shape HIV vulnerability. We cannot place responsibility for prevention on communities while leaving these structural barriers intact.

This raises an important question for governments, donors, implementing partners, and community-led organizations:

Are we investing enough in community-led and differentiated HIV prevention, and are resources being directed to where the evidence shows they are most needed?

Uganda already has effective prevention and treatment tools: condoms and lubricants, PrEP, PEP, HIV testing and self-testing, and ART and viral suppression. There is currently no approved HIV vaccine, despite misinformation circulating online.

The challenge is ensuring that these proven interventions actually reach those who need them.

That also means adequately financing community-led organizations that reach populations that conventional health systems may struggle to reach.

As HIV financing becomes increasingly constrained, limited resources should push us to invest more strategically, equitably, and according to the evidence, rather than leave communities carrying a disproportionate burden even further behind.

The data is giving us a clear signal.

Will Uganda’s HIV policies, programs, and investments follow the evidence?

We welcome perspectives from government, development partners, donors, implementers, researchers, and fellow community-led organizations.

What needs to change in how we finance and deliver HIV prevention if we are serious about ending AIDS by 2030?

24/08/2026

A huge thank you to Icebreakers Uganda for supporting the TYI-Uganda Drop-In Center with essential medicines and basic health commodities.

This support strengthens our capacity to continue providing accessible, confidential, affirming, and community-led SRHR and essential health services to the communities we serve.

For many rural transgender and gender-diverse people, access to respectful and non-discriminatory healthcare remains a challenge. Community-led spaces such as our Drop-In Center therefore play an important role in ensuring people can access the health information, commodities, services, and referrals they need in an environment that respects their dignity and confidentiality.

We deeply appreciate Ibu Ice Breakers Uganda for recognizing the importance of investing directly in community-led health responses. These essential medicines and commodities will help strengthen the services available through our DIC and support our continued efforts to bring healthcare closer to our communities.

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀?

Our Drop-In Center is here for you. Reach out to TYI-Uganda to access FREE SRHR services, essential health commodities, information, and referrals in a safe, respectful, and affirming environment.

Partnerships that put resources directly into communities make a difference.

31/03/2026

𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆.

𝗜𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮, 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆? 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗮 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁 𝗶𝘁.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁. 𝗪𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁.
𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗵𝘁𝗮𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮, 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸. 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱.

𝗔𝘁 𝗧𝗬𝗜-𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮, 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀, 𝗶𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.

𝗦𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀. 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.

𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆. 𝗜𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

𝗨𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲.

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲.

24/03/2026

Today is World Tuberculosis Day, and we believe it — yes! We can end TB.

Tuberculosis remains the deadliest infectious disease in the world, killing over 1.3 million people each year. But it can be prevented. It can be treated. Ending it is achievable, but only if we reach everyone.

At Trans Youth Initiative – Uganda, we work with rural trans and gender-diverse communities in rural southwestern Uganda who face compounding barriers to healthcare: stigma, discrimination, poverty, and invisibility in national health systems. For our communities, TB is not abstract. It is personal.

Ending TB requires communities at the centre of the response, not as recipients of care, but as leaders of it.

On this World TB Day, we recommit to that work. To visibility. To access. To dignity.

Yes. We can end TB. But not without all of us.

08/03/2026

Today, the world celebrates women, and at TYI-Uganda, we are loud and unapologetic about who we celebrate: transgender women, gender-diverse people, and every femme soul who dares to exist boldly in a country that has tried to erase them.

Your womanhood is not up for debate. Your femininity is not a performance. Your life is not a political statement; it is sacred.

To our trans and gender diverse sisters in rural southwestern Uganda who wake up every day and choose themselves anyway, this day is yours. 🌸💜

Happy International Women’s Day from all of us at TYI-Uganda.

12/08/2025

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.

On this International Youth Day 2025, we honour the courage, creativity, and leadership of young people everywhere, especially transgender and gender-diverse youth across Uganda who are building a more just, inclusive, and equitable future against incredible odds.

At Trans Youth Initiative-Uganda, we see every day how transgender and gender diverse youth are challenging harmful norms, breaking down barriers, and turning hope into action. We are innovating, leading, and refusing to be left behind.

In a time of shrinking civic space and rising inequality, our message is clear: 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄.

This International Youth Day, we recommit to creating spaces where ALL young people in all their diversity can live free, safe, and proud. Because when young people thrive, Uganda thrives.

#𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗗𝗮𝘆 #𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 #𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗔𝗹𝗹 #𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗨𝗚 #𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 #𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 #𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 #𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

11/07/2025

𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆 (𝗧𝗙𝗟𝗔) – 𝗖𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗧𝘄𝗼 (𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱)

Trans Youth Initiative – Uganda (TYI-Uganda) is thrilled to announce the second cohort of the Trans Feminist Leadership Academy (TFLA) — a groundbreaking leadership program designed by and for transgender youth, transgender s*x workers, and gender-diverse youth leaders across Uganda.

🌍 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆
TFLA is more than just a leadership program. It is a political act of resistance against state-sanctioned transphobia, systemic exclusion, and rising authoritarianism. It's a space where emerging trans and gender-diverse youth leaders can build transformational feminist leadership, community resilience, and transformative power from the grassroots up.

💥 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀:
✅ 6 months of virtual workshops (Aug 2025 – Jan 2026)
✅ A 2-day in-person leadership convening (August 2025)
✅ Mentorship from trans feminist leaders, human rights defenders & movement strategists
✅ Training on feminist leadership, movement organizing, advocacy, digital safety, and collective care
✅ A national platform for narrative change, advocacy, and community action

👥 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆?
We invite applications from trans youth women, trans youth s*x workers, transgender youth men, and gender-diverse youth aged 18–35, especially those from rural and under-resourced communities across Uganda.

We strongly encourage applications from youth living with HIV, s*x workers, persons with disabilities, survivors of violence, and anyone directly impacted by transphobia, criminalization, or exclusion.

𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 𝟮𝟰 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
📲 Apply here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zI25jstc6TKP5mxZlJV0hbvET9tTZPfU/view?usp=share_link

👉🏽 This is our time. We are not asking for permission to lead — we are claiming our space, our rights, and our future. Join us. Let’s shift power, together.

31/03/2025

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Today, we honour the courage, brilliance and resilience of rural transgender youth women, transgender youth s*x workers, trans men & gender-diverse youth in Uganda.
Your visibility is power. Your existence is resistance. 💥🏳️‍⚧️

09/01/2025

We are Back and Ready to Transform 2025!

After a year of incredible growth, resilience, and impactful advocacy, we are energized and fully charged to champion rural trans and gender-diverse rights in 2025!

This year, we are setting the stage for bold actions, stronger collaborations, and transformative progress. Join us as we work tirelessly to break barriers, amplify voices, and create a future where everyone can live with dignity and pride.

Let’s make 2025 the year of unparalleled change for transgender and gender-diverse communities. Together, we will transform lives, rewrite narratives, and uplift communities.