Violence Can't Stop CAMEF - Cameroon LGBTQI Service Agency!

• CAMEF, a Cameroonian non-profit LGBTQI human rights, health/education service agency became one more victim of anti-LGBTQI violence on Dec. 22, 2013. (click here for story and for other stories of CAMEF's work.) That  is when vandals ruined their office and left threats like, “Next time we will padlock and burn all of you inside. Go away". See below, "Go Away PEDE (Fag) Go Away. CAMEF has been evicted and had to suspend their work. 
• Violence won't stop these champions.  Risking their lives, they are depending on you to put them back to work 
• Basic Rights for everyone are what CAMEF workers want right to life, liberty the pursuit of happiness.  Not just for LGBTQI rights.
• Religious War! This is what it's all about.  Even religions that teach love can call for horrible consequences if the sexual activity is same-sex.  An outmoded bible-based condemnation is screeching over Africa now.  It is the puritanical laws of European colonial powers that have been paid for and brought into Africa. 

• This is a matter of life and death of LGBTQI people.  As you see in the intro video by Human Rights Watch,  Cameroon is one of the worst places in the world where hatred of LGBTQI people leads to persecution and murder of innocent victims. Even without proof or trial Roger Mbede was jailed for 3 years for sending a text love note. He died this year because his town and family wanted to exorcise this devil from their midst. Basic services like health care are denied unless groups like CAMEF bring services to their clients within their center.
• CAMEF was targeted for standing publicly for LGBTQI needs. Neela Ghoshal, researcher for Human Rights Watch, is familiar with CAMEF's work first-hand as this photo, taken prior to the vandal attack, shows. Because of the death threats against CAMEF we have blocked faces.  Atty. Nkom interviewed in the HRW video works with CAMEF's.

What We Need:Coming back better!

• CAMEF NEEDS NEW FUNDING: $87,360 - part 1 (see budget in our gallery/files). From the start in 2010 it has been depending on volunteers for workers and local supporters for piecemeal funding.  Now the office is closed.  Because the landlord is frightened to let them back, CAMEF needs not only new quarters that will cost more and will require more security, but also needs to pay workers now clearly at risk for their lives.  Equipment has to be replaced.   CAMEF has been losing support steadily of late in the growing violence against LGBTQI people in Cameroon. Donors are frightened to be associated with them.  INDIEGOGO can put this service on sound footing for the next year.
• CAMEF NEEDS TO COME BACK BETTER: Another $86,940, part 2,  is needed to establish a protective service for street youth--up to now unavailable--, a shelter and a truck to rescue them. The education, health referrals, and advocacy for LGBTQI victims have been CAMEF's essential outreach, but not enough.  So this service is dependent on INDIEGOGO donors to begin again better. 
• CAMEF SERVES The most vulnerable LGBTQI people in the especially tough English-speaking section of Cameroon.  They include service to sex workers, the most vulnerable of all who are regularly beaten, sometimes, to death.  Before the December vandalism you can see below some of the CAMEF clients in need of education and access to health care at a minimum.  Without CAMEF they are alone. See "Recent Training Day" report in Gallery section here on Indiegogo.

• PUT THESE CHAMPIONS FIRMLY IN THE PUBLIC EYE: $175,000 might seem like a lot for a small agency, but remember they are installing respect for lives, the lives that are especially in Cameroon being wiped out. These are people risking their lives, they are down, but not out with INDIEGOGO's special help.
• CAMEF is the only group in Cameroon's English speaking area daring to openly work with HIV/AIDS among the LGBTQI people including sex workers since 2010, providing education, access to health care, and advocacy for human rights.  Much work just to exist is required, but the challenge to grow networks among other groups is also great.  This is so that internal efforts to resist persecution and to develop political power for legislative change can go forward. Getting ahead in Cameroon will strengthen the worldwide LGBTQI communities.

• MORE INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS: AMSHeR and FIDH

• So many Indiegogo campaigns that raise large sums also give out expensive perks but this is impossible in our case. We are dealing with our own lives and the existence of our agency.
• The Indiegogo perks in our case need to be your first-hand satisfaction that you are playing a direct role in waging a fundamental battle for lives in one of the toughest battlegrounds for LGBTQI people. 
• In the PERKS section we have taken some of the basics of our budget to make your donation effect more concrete.  Look at our budget in the "gallery" section.
• We will send you updates on your greatly needed donation. Keep you involved in any way you wish. You can ask for: e-mail thank you, acknowledgment on web site, at the center, photos.  You will be a part of the project!
• Should we fall short of our goal, every cent raised will go toward getting the new center established and services developed for our young people.
• THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

Other Ways You Can Help

• Indiegogo campaigns work because people--regardless of ability to give money--advertise them widely. LGBTQI yourself?  An ally? Now you have a life-saving job! You can help by plugging us into your networks.
• Please use the Indiegogo share tools!  We can succeed with 1750 donors giving $100 each!