We are seeking support to establish a short-term shelter for the members of the AFAB Queer & Transmasculine community and persons with Inter s*x variations. Please help us.

Raahi is currently working on setting up Karnataka's very first shelter home that will cater specifically to members of the AFAB Queer & Transmasculine community and persons with inter s*x variations. This shelter home will provide short-term accommodation to a maximum of 8 to 10 individuals for a period of up to 60 days, depending on the severity of the crisis. Its primary function is to support adult AFAB Queer & Transmasculine community members and persons with inter s*x variations who are in need of shelter support. The shelter home aims to provide a safe and secure environment where community members can access necessary care, support, and resources to help them navigate their challenges. The facility will be staffed with trained professionals who will provide round-the-clock care, mental health services, and other forms of assistance to ensure that the residents receive the best possible support during their stay.

Raahi: A Journey Towards Dignity

Our Vision: Marginalized people of all s*xualities and gender identities live with dignity and pride, free from violence, by enabling an inclusive and democratic environment.

Our Mission: To empower communities of persons assigned to gender female at birth to live independently and confidently through strategic needs-based crisis intervention, capacity building, advocacy, and sensitization.

Values:

EQUITY

EMPATHY

PROGRESSIVE RIGHTS

Objectives:

To fight against trans and queer phobia and build awareness and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community.

To advocate towards creating access to health care, education, employment and entitlements for the Trans community.

To provide pro-bono legal support for the LGBTQIA+ community during crisis.

To provide short-term shelter support for the LGBTQIA+ community during crisis.

To provide mental health support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

To enhance the community's ability to handle its crisis through holistic legal training and capacity-building programs.

To create a robust network of other Trans and LGBTQIA+ groups and organizations to strengthen advocacy efforts.

What We Do:

Crisis Intervention

Our main area of work is providing pro bono support to trans men, partners of trans men, lesbian, bisexual and queer women, gender non-conforming and non-binary persons, and persons with inter s*x variations, facing crises. We believe that a crisis is any situation or circumstance that makes a person feel marginalised, threatened or vulnerable. Hence, our interventions are needs-based and can include legal aid and advice, mental health support, short-term shelter, referrals for medical support, and assistance with legally affirming one’s gender identity.

Helpline for Emergency Calls

Pro bono legal aid and advice

Short-term shelter

Referrals to queer affirmative medical support

Advocacy Sensitization, and Advocacy with the State, Police and Hospitals

Advocacy with government departments is extremely challenging and frustrating, but it is a crucial activity we will regularly engage in. We focus on consistent interaction with authorized officials from relevant departments to ensure the implementation of 3 key laws - the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and Rules, 2020 and the Karnataka State Policy for Transgender Persons, 2017. Our efforts are always centered around creating safe access to welfare measures, housing, education, employment, health care, shelter, etc. While that is an ambitious list, many of these efforts involve the same or overlapping departments/officials.

Advocacy with the police involves sensitization training for police officials of all ranks in Karnataka, and regular follow-up with the Director General and Inspector General of Police to monitor the workings of the Transgender Protection Cell.

Advocacy with hospitals will focus on public and private hospitals in Karnataka, to provide a safe and comfortable healthcare system for the LGBTQIA+ community. We are constantly having meetings, ensuring regular follow-ups with the authorized personnel from the health department, and pushing for the issuance of government orders (GOs) to conduct personnel training in hospitals and resume gender-affirmative medical services in public hospitals in Karnataka.

Meetings & trainings police, government departments, and public authorities

Consultations & training with other organizations and CBOs

Meetings with hospitals and mental health professionals

Capacity Building For Community Members

This includes regular training and sensitization workshops for the Queer and Trans communities in Karnataka on s*x, s*xuality, gender, law and policies, along with other topics community members ask us to focus on, which help them formulate their own political perspectives and understanding. Training on crisis intervention will be another significant part of this activity, where we will gather community members to provide information and strategies to handle crisis situations and to step up for other community members who might require support. In addition, Raahi is supporting community members to access different kinds of skill development training. 

Legal awareness workshops on changing laws and policy making

Workshop/trainings on emerging needs

Skill development and livelihood training for community members. 

We are planning to open the short-term shelter in March 2024, and we need your support to procure essential infrastructure for setting up the space. This infrastructure includes beds, mattresses, basic furniture, kitchen utensils and appliances, computers for administrative work, medical and first-aid equipment, and safety and security systems. We kindly request your invaluable support in creating a safe and welcoming environment for members of the AFAB Queer & Transmasculine community and individuals with inter s*x variations.

For any clarifications, please reach out to us @ raahithejourney@gmail.com, www.raahithejourney.org, +919739780319