Fahim
I'm called Fahim, a gay 29-year-old Ugandan man.
I studied well in primary, college and university; I qualified as a professional photographer.
I had a successful photographic business, but ...
My parents gave me the capital to open a business in Kampala, 2 kilometres from our home. I owned a photo studio outside the city and had many clients who paid me well.
One particular customer, named Sammy, was also gay. I was always shy with girls; besides, I felt more like a woman. Sammy started dating me. He was a handsome, brown young man, and we dated for almost one year.
I accepted him as my partner, and everything went on good. Sammy used to work in South Africa as a blocker in a particular car bond. But the time came when he returned to South Africa and said he’d be there for two years.
My business grew, and so did my love life
My photographic business grew. As the event photographer, I started attending weddings, birthdays, introductions, and graduation ceremonies. I was earning well, but I felt lonely after Sammy left.
On the ceremonies I attended, I’d come across handsome men, some of whom I gave my contact info to. Many didn’t respond, but a few did. A guy called Solomon accepted my sweet talking, and one day, he came to my studio. I remember it was a really fantastic day.
The day it all fell apart
While on a job, I delegated work to my young brother Noah. Noah was always suspicious whenever Solomon came, maybe because I gave him care, and I had a small room behind my studio where we used to have fun. Solomon and I were in my room one day when Noah opened the door. He started alarming, and everyone gathered to observe the situation.
We were beaten, but good enough, we were not killed. When I went home, my parents deserted me. Everyone did the same with different humiliations.
Arrived in Kakuma 2021
I was forced to move out of the country. When I reached Nairobi (Kenya), I saw UNHCR offices, and they took me to Kakuma Camp. I arrived in Kakuma Camp in 2021, where I met with other Ugandan gay people.
They spoke Luganda (a language from Uganda), but I was surprised that they were gay too.
I joined the group in moving from Kakuma early in 2024 to our current refugee camp in South Sudan.
