Botswana only legalized consensual same sex conduct in 2019, so growing up as an openly gay man was tough and I experienced numerous setbacks.

When I was 25 years old, my uncle discovered a photo of me putting on makeup and dreadlocks. He took it from my social media and shared it with my mother. After that, my mum didn’t speak to me for a year. She thought I was trying to become a woman and refused to accept my story.

I was finally able to be myself when I went to university, which is where I became an activist. I learnt huge amounts about LGBTQI+ people’s rights, including those of sex workers and women and girls, and I discovered the incredible LGBTQI+ centres in Gaborone.

A safe haven 

The LGBTI+ centres soon became a safe haven for me and LGBTQI+ people throughout Botswana. With the support of local, regional and national organisations, they have shown solidarity by offering legal advice, psychosocial support for individuals, as well as family members, and provide contraception, along with drugs to prevent and treat HIV. 

Whenever I’ve gone to a public medical centre for support, I have felt judged because of my sexuality, and I know many others feel the same too. By comparison, these centres make us feel safe and supported. Ten years on, I still use these centres to access to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis, medicines that can prevent people from acquiring HIV), and it’s where I get tested regularly.

Although things are changing, it is still a challenge to be a gay man in Botswana, we have a long way to go in terms of mobilizing the wider community to accept LGBTQI+ people. It’s amazing how these centres directly serve and influence societal norms, which means there’s a greater acceptance of us. Now, we can celebrate our identities at Pride events, which usually take place in October.

People are at risk

Despite the progress we’ve made as a country, these centres are now at huge risk, due to global funding cuts which have been ongoing since February – and it’s directly impacting the LGBTQI+ people here in Botswana.

Several employees who work for LGBTQI+ organizations received termination letters in February and now access to these centres are depleting. I fear how this will impact LGBTQI+ people in Botswana.

We can’t access psychosocial support anymore, which is devastating. Families are disowning their loved ones for their sexuality.

Mmueledi Pinoh Heaven

We haven’t been able to access PrEP since February 2025. There’s a shortage of condoms.  We can’t access psychosocial support anymore, which is devastating. Families are disowning their loved ones for their sexuality. We have also experienced disruptions on critical services leaving people without essential care and support.

I fear HIV rates will soar without proper access to medication and contraception, putting peoples’ lives at risk. The transgender community is also suffering, as they cannot access their gender-affirming treatment – which otherwise comes at a huge expense.

Hear our plight

If this continues, these centres – these safe havens – will close and I worry that suicide rates will go up, because of the lack of access to health care.

Doctors and nurses won’t hear our plight. We desperately need more healthcare workers who understand our situation.

I am calling for Botswana’s new government to make sure our needs are prioritized and that funds are distributed appropriately. Our healthcare system has to improve, otherwise thousands of peoples’ lives will be put at risk. Countries such as the USA and UK must also reconsider their funding cuts so we can continue with our work. 

Thankfully there are a number of organisations on our side which has continually supported these centres in Botswana through legal advocacy and support. Amnesty International has also advocated on our behalf to create awareness of the harmful impact of laws criminalizing various aspects of LGBTQI people. I want to see others follow suit and ensure our LGBTI-friendly centres survive.

Message of hope

We stand at a critical crossroads. The recent cuts to the HIV response by major donors have dealt a severe blow to our efforts to support the health, dignity, and rights of LGBTQI+ individuals, particularly in HIV prevention, treatment, and education. These cuts threaten not only our programmes but also the lives and futures of those we serve. But let it be clear—we are not defeated. This moment calls for unity, innovation, and activism. We must come together to reassess, re-strategize, and amplify our voices.

We need to strengthen our networks. Going forward, we must build stronger coalitions among local centres, grassroots organizations, and activists. We have to find alternative funding by tapping into regional and international LGBTQI and health-focused donors. It’s time to explore community-led solutions, by empowering communities to take initiative through peer education, volunteer-run programs, and community health outreach.

We must boldly advocate for the restoration of funding and equitable health access. Most of all though, we have to take care of each other. The emotional toll of this struggle is real. Let our centres remain safe spaces of love, resistance, and hope.

These fund cuts may slow us down, but they will not silence us. LGBTQI people in Botswana has always risen against the odds—and now, more than ever, we rise again. Our lives matter. Our health matters. Our voices will be heard.

This was originally published on Advocate.com.