The Uganda Minority Shelters Consortium (UMSC) is a national network of grassroots LGBTQ+-led shelters and community-based organizations dedicated to addressing homelessness, displacement, and violence affecting LGBTQ+ individuals across Uganda. Founded in 2020, UMSC supports a network of member organizations that provide emergency shelter, healthcare, and psychosocial services across multiple regions in Uganda, including Central, Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern region. Their project, Uganda LGBT+ Shelters Emergency and Crisis Response, aims to provide safety, stability, and independence for vulnerable LGBT+ individuals.
UMSC looks to a future where LGBT+ youth are empowered and can live independently, free from fear and discrimination. By focusing on research, advocacy, and direct support services, UMSC works tirelessly to improve the lives of those affected by homelessness, violence, and HIV in Uganda. Their mission is to break the cycle of LGBTQ+ homelessness and vulnerability by advancing rights-based shelter access, coordinated care, and economic empowerment.
Support for UMSC enhances its safety measures, security training, and mental health services for LGBT+ youth in shelters. This enables UMSC to provide crucial resources, such as emergency response services and advocacy for human rights, ensuring a safer and more secure environment for these individuals. Through these initiatives, UMSC helps homeless LGBT+ youth transition toward independence, making a lasting impact on their lives and the broader Ugandan LGBT+ community.
