Le Groupe d’action féministe marocain (GAFM) a été fondé en avril 2019 par Izgar Belrhali. Le GAFM œuvre pour l’élimination des violences liées à l’expression de genre par une approche intersectionnelle et féministe d’autodéfense. Le GAFM vise à promouvoir l’autodéfense féministe comme moyen d’émancipation en partageant des informations, en établissant des contacts, en menant des actions et en échangeant des expériences au Maroc.

Le groupe n’a pas pu s’enregistrer officiellement car l’existence d’organisations LGBTQIA+ est illégale au Maroc.

Groupe d’action féministe Moroc (GAFM), or Feminist Action Group, was founded in April 2019 by Izgar Belrhali. GAFM works to eliminate gender expression-based violence through an intersectional and feminist self-defence method. GAFM aims to promote feminist self-defence as a means of emancipation through sharing information, establishing contact, creating actions and exchanging experiences in Morocco.

The group has been unable to formally register as it is illegal for LGBTQIA+ organisations to exist in Morocco.

La vision / Vision

GAFM aspire à un Maroc où les jeunes femmes et les communautés marginalisées disposent des outils, des connaissances et de la confiance nécessaires pour mener une vie autonome et épanouie. En favorisant la résilience, l’autonomie et la solidarité, GAFM vise à remettre en question et à transformer les barrières systémiques qui perpétuent les inégalités et les discriminations.

GAFM envisions a Morocco where young women and marginalised communities have the tools, knowledge, and confidence to lead independent, empowered lives. By fostering resilience, self-reliance, and solidarity, GAFM aims to challenge and transform the systemic barriers that perpetuate inequality and discrimination.

Mission

GAFM se consacre à la promotion et au renforcement des capacités internes des jeunes femmes, des personnes trans et queer au Maroc grâce à des méthodes d’autodéfense féministes et intersectionnelles. Sa mission est d’autonomiser ces groupes par l’éducation, le plaidoyer et la création d’espaces sûrs pour leur développement personnel et collectif.

GAFM is dedicated to promoting and strengthening the internal capacities of young women, trans, and queer communities in Morocco through feminist and intersectional self-defence methods. Their mission is to empower these groups through education, advocacy, and the creation of safe spaces for personal and collective growth.

Objectifs / Goals

• Autonomisation : Autonomiser les jeunes femmes et les communautés marginalisées du Maroc en leur fournissant les outils, les connaissances et les compétences nécessaires pour mener une vie indépendante et épanouissante.
• Éducation et plaidoyer : Sensibiliser le public et défendre les droits des femmes et des personnes LGBTQIA+, en promouvant la connaissance et la compréhension des enjeux liés au genre et à l’orientation sexuelle.
• Sécurité et soutien : Créer des espaces sûrs où chacun peut partager son expérience, recevoir du soutien et élaborer des stratégies pour sa sécurité personnelle et collective.
• Engagement communautaire : Encourager les initiatives communautaires porteuses de changement durable, en mettant l’accent sur l’amélioration des conditions socio-économiques et de la santé mentale des groupes marginalisés.

• Empowerment: To empower young women and marginalised communities in Morocco by providing them with the tools, knowledge, and skills needed to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
• Education and advocacy: To educate the public and advocate for the rights of women and LGBTQIA+ individuals, promoting awareness and understanding of issues related to gender and sexual orientation.
• Safety and support: To create safe spaces where individuals can share experiences, receive support, and develop strategies for personal and community safety.
• Community engagement: To foster community-led initiatives that drive sustainable change, focusing on improving socio-economic and mental health outcomes for marginalised groups.

Le contact / Contact

Website
+212 626-012656
Email: autodefensefemaroc@gmail.com
Facebook

Between the 24th and 26th November 2017, the First African Intersex Meeting took place in Johannesburg, South Africa. This meeting brought together 22 intersex people representing intersex organisations from 7 African countries. It was during this meeting that the African Intersex Movement started organising and they released the following statement:

Preamble

We recall the principles of the Public Statement by the Third International Intersex Forum (known as the Malta Declaration) and extend the demands aiming to end discrimination against intersex people in Africa, to ensure the right of bodily integrity, physical autonomy and self-determination.

We affirm that intersex people are real, and we exist in all countries of Africa. As intersex people in Africa, we live in a society that perpetuates violence and killings of intersex people by cultural, religious, traditional and medical beliefs and practices. Therefore, we must be supported to be the drivers of social, political and legislative changes that concern us.

Demands

• To put an end to infanticide and killings of intersex people led by traditional and religious beliefs.
• To put an end to mutilating and ‘normalising’ practices such as genital surgeries, psychological and other medical treatments through legislative and other means (such as education, policy and treatment protocol change). Intersex people must be empowered to make their own decisions affecting their own bodily integrity, physical autonomy and self-determination.
• To include intersex education in antenatal counselling and support.
• To put an end to non-consensual sterilisation of intersex people.
• To depathologise variations in sex characteristics in medical practices, guidelines, protocols and classifications, such as the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases.
• To ensure that sex or gender classifications are amendable through a simple administrative procedure at the request of the individuals concerned. All adults and capable minors should be able to choose between female (F), male (M), intersex or multiple options. In the future, sex or gender should not be a category on birth certificates or identification documents for anybody.
• To raise awareness around intersex issues and the rights of intersex people in communities and society at large.
• To create and facilitate supportive, safe and celebratory environments for intersex people, their families and surroundings.
• To ensure that intersex people have the right to full information and access to their own medical records and history.
• To ensure that all professionals and healthcare providers that have a specific role to play in intersex people’s well-being are adequately trained to provide quality services.
• To acknowledge the suffering and injustice caused to intersex people
• To build intersex anti-discrimination legislation in addition to other grounds, and to ensure protection against intersectional discrimination.
• To ensure the provision of all human rights and citizenship rights to intersex people, including the right to marry and form a family.
• To ensure that intersex people are able to participate in competitive sport, at all levels, in accordance with their legal sex. Intersex athletes who have been humiliated or stripped of their titles should receive reparation and reinstatement.
• To recognise that medicalization and stigmatisation of intersex people result in significant trauma and mental health concerns.
• In view of ensuring the bodily integrity and well-being of intersex people, autonomous non-pathologising psycho-social and peer support be available to intersex people throughout their life (as self-required), as well as to parents and/or care providers.

In view of the above the African Intersex Movement calls on:

1. National governments to address the concerns raised by the African Intersex Movement and draw adequate solutions in direct collaboration with intersex representatives and organisations.
2. Traditional and religious leaders to stop harmful cultural practices, such as tradition-led mutilations and killings of intersex people.
3. National, regional and international human rights institutions to take on board, and provide visibility to intersex issues in their work.
4. Community leaders to engage in intersex education to dispel misconceptions and stigma around intersex people.
5. Human rights organisations to contribute to build bridges with intersex organisations and build a basis for mutual support and meaningful engagement. This should be done in a spirit of collaboration and no-one should instrumentalise intersex issues as a means for other ends.
6. Funders to engage with intersex organisations and support them in the struggle for visibility, increase their capacity, the building of knowledge and the affirmation of their human rights.

Source: https://intersexday.org/en/statement-african-forum-2017/

The main theme of the 2019 convention was the recognition of intersex rights as human rights. Participants reaffirmed the principles enshrined in both the International and regional human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Yogyakarta Principles and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which affirm the right of intersex individuals to self-determination, bodily autonomy and non-discrimination. They also spoke about countries like Malta, Australia and Portugal, which have taken steps to legally protect intersex persons, as well as examining why Africa as a region and the different state parties have little or very close to no interest in legislating to protect their own intersex communities from the severe violations and abuses as reported by the activists.

2019 Convention, Naivasha, Kenya

In 2019, a historic moment unfolded as 21 African Intersex human rights defenders from across the African continent convened in Kenya under the theme “visibility…. Voice…. Freedom”, from the 19^th to the 21^st of June to cement the work of the African Intersex Movement (AIM). The landmark initiative aimed at sharing information, skills and resources while advancing the rights and visibility of intersex individuals across Africa. The convention made a pivotal step forward by the African region collectively addressing unique challenges faced by the intersex community in the region and amplifying their voices on the global stage. The 2019 Statement, an outcome of the conference held in Naivasha, Kenya in 2019,  is a public statement to extend demands aiming to end discrimination against intersex people while ensuring their right to bodily autonomy and self-determination. This statement announced the launch of the African Intersex Movement offering themselves as the African intersex reference of intelligence for stakeholders and allies who are interested in strengthening the ongoing liberation work for intersex people’s rights and autonomy.  The statement demands a wide range of rights including legal recognition, access to healthcare, employment, education and sport, marriage, bodily autonomy, information, especially to medical records and surroundings, inclusion and, mainly, the right to life. It also calls upon community leaders, human rights organisations and resource partners to support the African intersex people.

Key to the convention’s success was the active participation and leadership of the pioneers of intersex activism in Africa whose first-hand experiences provided invaluable insights and drove the agenda for change. Their courage in sharing their activism stories of resilience, survival, and self-affirmation served as a powerful catalyst for collective action among attendees.

Hosted in a spirit of solidarity and association, the formation of AIM brought together IHRDs and allies from across Africa including Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The convention created a platform to allow individual connections with fellow intersex activists in ways that fostered movement wellness, built trust and affirmed a collective vision for the change desired for the African intersex community. Activists shared their experiences, discussed common struggles, identified specific regional needs and structured a united front in advocating for dignity, equality and recognition for intersex persons. The formation of the African Intersex Movement was a critical milestone in the ongoing struggle intersex rights and recognition. The movement stands as a testament to the power of collective action. Recognising the need to promote unity, solidarity and cooperation among African nations was the first step towards wider visibility and long-term impact. The movement has grown to have an impressive coverage of all the African regions and as it continues to gain momentum and evolve. Its members remain steadfast in their commitment to challenging oppression, fostering solidarity, and creating a world where all intersex persons can live authentically and without fear.

Throughout the proceedings, speakers underscored the urgent need to challenge harmful practices such as infanticides, discrimination, non-consensual surgeries and ‘normalising’ interventions now more commonly referred to as Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM) imposed on intersex children. These practices, rooted in stigma and ignorance, have long perpetuated violence and trauma against intersex individuals, often resulting in lifelong physical and psychological harm. Some of the widely highlighted challenges directly involved in intersex activism included the absurdly low funding of intersex organising in Africa and how the African governments continue to ignore the intersex communities in their countries, despite clear knowledge about their existence and the severe violations and abuses of the human rights of intersex individuals. Participants concurred that one of the most effective approaches to addressing these issues could be through improving messaging and outreaches, while utilising the National Human Rights Institutions which operate autonomously from the government but possess the capacity to exert influence upon it; a strategy that proved to work for the Kenyan activists. 

The convention also provided a platform for intersex activists to highlight the intersections of intersex identity with other forms of oppression, including child abuse, female genital mutilation, gender-based violence, discrimination and marginalisation. This intersectional approach is important to fully address all forms of oppression without dismantling a person’s identity into distinct dimensions that don’t affect one another. Discussions were therefore focused on the importance of building inclusive movements that centre the voices and experiences of intersex people, particularly those from marginalised communities whose oppression and discrimination is an inextricably blended experience. The diverse expressions will serve to challenge the prevailing narratives of shame and secrecy surrounding intersexuality and affirm the inherent dignity and worth of every individual.

The key outcomes of the convention were the election of a starring committee of the African Intersex Movement made up of four members, overseen by Julius Kaggwa and Hlompho Mokoena (formerly known as Nthabiseng) and a statement that was guided by the 2017 Statement from the first African intersex meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. The genesis of the establishment of the AIM can be traced back to this meeting where ideas of the necessity were formalised by the participants.

The Movement amplifies intersex voices and affirms to the world that, in all African Countries: WE EXIST. 

Read more about AIM.

This entry was written by our Intersex Content Contributor, Delphine Barigye

In September 2016, Isaac Mwaura, a Kenyan Parliamentarian, wanted the Kenyan Parliament to pass the option of a third gender into Kenyan law in order to legally recognise intersex people. Mwaura also asked for public funding for gender-affirming surgeries and a public awareness campaign to end the stigmatisation of intersex people. Read more here.

In July 2016, The East Africa Trans Health and Advocacy Network (EATHAN) was formed by founding member Barbra Wangare in Kenya as a network of trans-diverse activists and organisations in East Africa working to improve the livelihoods of gender-diverse persons in East Africa. Member organisations represent 34 activist and trans community organisations across Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

Learn more about the founding of EATHAN:

Mission

EATHAN’s mission is to equip and enable East African trans* diverse individuals and institutions, to organise and advocate for the improvement of their health, the recognition of their gender, and the protection of their human rights, utilising informed research and documentation, particularly on health and HIV, and by enhancing their livelihoods through capacity strengthening and empowerment. In 2021 EATHAN celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting their first-ever Live Show on the topic of Trans Womanhood.

Areas of Work

The organisation’s main mandate is to support its members. It does this through technical support with fundraising proposals and attending conferences, as well as budget writing. It also offers capacity strengthening initiatives so that member organisations are able not only to fundraise, but to build the capacity to handle donations and carry out the projects funding was sought for. Member organisations are also trained in financial management and financial accountability.

EATHAN also engages in global trans activism and is one of the organising committee members of the United Nations Trans Advocacy Week that is held yearly.

Resource Hub

The EATHAN Resource Hub is a space where, among other things, its research is documented, providing community members with information on transitioning, legal gender recognition, challenges, as well as documents on legal and human rights advocacy and policy changes affecting trans and intersex communities.

Campaigns

Contact

Website
Email: info@eathan.org
+254 797 551980
Facebook

Watch our interview with EATHAN’s Executive Director, Barbra Wangare

On 15 October 2024, TIHA’s Victor J. Mukasa and Barbra discussed her personal journey as a trans woman and the early history of trans awareness in Kenya, her role in the founding of Kenya’s second trans organisation, Jinsiangu and the work that she and EATHAN do in Kenya, East Africa and globally.

In 2016, South Africa’s Iranti, as well as the Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE), Asia Pacific Transgender Network (APTN), Stop Trans Pathologization 2012 (STP) team, and Transgender Europe (TGEU), hosted a workshop to share knowledge and learning and to form advocacy strategies against the pathologisation of trans and intersex people in Africa based on the World Health Organization (WHO)’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The advocacy booklet, Ending Pathological Practices Against Trans and Intersex Bodies in Africa, was published as a result of the workshop.

From the introduction of the booklet, the goal of the publication

“is to create a basic, accessible and user-friendly tool for understanding the links between access to gender affirming health-care, human rights, depathologisation of trans and gender diverse identities, and the current review process of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The ICD is an international classification that has been developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). It contains a complex list of diseases, disorders, injuries, and factors influencing contact with healthcare services. Some of the diagnoses in the ICD directly affect trans, gender diverse, and intersex communities.

We hope that this publication serves as an accessible guide to understanding the importance of depathologising trans health-care:

• Is used across communities; by clinicians, by activists, by trans and gender diverse persons, intersex persons, scholars, NGOs, etc.
• Ignites a growing interest in the campaign to depathologise gender affirming healthcare, getting
• More people and organisations from the region involved.
• Challenges the power dynamics that exist in the access to gender affirming healthcare.
• Highlights the intersection between depathologisation and the decolonisation of our identities.”

En avril 2016, Synergie Trans Bénin (STB) a été créée. Première organisation trans nationale au Bénin, elle œuvre pour les droits et le développement des personnes transgenres dans le pays. STB est une organisation communautaire basée à Cotonou, au Bénin, issue de la fusion de deux associations regroupant des femmes transgenres (ACCEPTST BENIN) et des hommes transgenres (AFSP). Leur mission est de mieux faire connaître les besoins et les réalités des communautés noires d’Afrique francophone.

In April 2016, Synergie Trans Benin / Synergy Trans Benin (STB) was established as the first national trans organisation in Benin, intervening for the rights and development of trans people in the country. STB is a community-based organisation headquartered in Cotonou, Benin, formed from the merger of two associations bringing together transgender women (ACCEPTST BENIN) and transgender men (AFSP). They campaign to increase the visibility of the needs and realities experienced in Black communities of French-Africa (Francophone Africa).

La vision / Vision

STB a pour objectif de contribuer à la visibilité et à l’épanouissement des personnes trans au Bénin et dans la région, de mettre en lumière la vulnérabilité spécifique des personnes trans pour permettre leur inclusion dans les politiques de santé, et de mener des actions de plaidoyer pour défendre les droits des populations les plus vulnérables, notamment celles qui subissent des violences en raison de leur identité de genre et celles vivant avec le VIH/SIDA.

Le STB mène des activités de sensibilisation et de dépistage du VIH/SIDA, propose des groupes d’entraide et suit les cas de violence et de violation des droits. Il œuvre également à l’insertion sociale et professionnelle des jeunes victimes de rejet familial.

STB aims to contribute to the visibility and development of trans people in Benin and the surrounding region, to highlight the specific vulnerability of trans people to enable their inclusion in health policies, and to conduct advocacy actions to defend the rights of the most vulnerable populations, particularly those experiencing violence due to their gender identity and those living with HIV/AIDS.

STB conducts HIV/AIDS awareness and screening activities, offers self-support groups, and monitors cases of violence and violations of rights. It also works to promote the social and professional integration of peers who are victims of family rejection.

Entrer en contact / Contact

Email: synergietransbenin2018@gmail.com
+229 96 28 92 42
Facebook

Regardez notre interview avec le fondateur et directeur exécutif de STB / Watch our interview with STB’s Founder and Executive Director

Nous avons enregistré cette interview avec Miss Passita le 1er août 2025.

We recorded this interview with Miss Passita on the 1st of August 2025.

In 2016, Sammie MacJessie founded the Ivy Foundation to create awareness especially for intersex persons to create a better environment which caters for their needs and is more understanding of their differences. The Foundation operates through the three major Cities in Malawi: Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu. The Foundation also advocates for the rights of young and old intersex individuals. 

Vision

The Foundation strives to enhance sustainable development to improve social basic needs of and the inclusion of LBIQ persons in all spaces like education and health care. They seek to advance gender equality and the empowerment of all by promoting sexual and reproductive health as well as human rights.

Contact

Email: Ivyfoundation6@gmail.com
Facebook

Our interviews with Sammie MacJessie

YouTube interview, 12 September 2025

Text interview, April 2024

Our Intersex Content Contributor Delphine Barigye had an informal chat with Sammie in April 2024, reflecting on the founding of the Ivy Foundation in Malawi, the events that led to the formation of the Foundation, and Sammie’s experiences growing up as an Intersex person in Malawi. As the Trans & Intersex History Africa Digital Archive sat down with them to unravel the threads of inspiration that led to the creation of the transformative organisation, their words painted a vivid picture of determination, resilience and unwavering passion.

Sammie is an intersex person born in Malawi to a Malawian mother and a South African father. They grew up mostly in Malawi but had a fair share of their life in South Africa. They are the Executive Director of Ivy Foundation and have been a human rights activist for over ten years. Apart from founding The Ivy Foundation, Sammie was co-chair of the Southern African Intersex Forum, a member of JASS (Just Associates: Global feminist movement-support organisation in the Global South), and current board member of the Iranti.org board, among many other involvements.

What motivated you to start the Ivy Foundation?

“What motivated me to start was the lack of inclusivity for intersex persons, the lack of conversations, and the lack of acceptance! For so long, people have always just pretended that we don’t exist. When I asked questions, no one could give me the answers and they made it look like I was crazy. I started this organisation so that intersex people can get answers to questions they have about their differences in sex development especially in a world where we are still considered a taboo.” 

Can you share a personal story or experience that sparked the idea for your organisation?

“Growing up, I was pretty much like everybody else until I was 12 and joined a boarding high school. This was a place where we had to bathe in a community bathroom and that is when I noticed the difference between me and the other girls there. At 14, I noticed how everybody else had got their menstrual period besides me. But this didn’t throw me off because this (the period) is not something I was looking forward to anyway. But at 19/20 I realised how late it was. Sex conversations with friends also highlighted how different I was. I had no idea what they were talking about, especially the sexual experiences because I had never felt any sexual sensation. One of my friends pointed out how different my coochie [genitals] was as well. So I decided to look for answers again. The doctors’ immediate guess was always hormonal imbalance and they prescribed hormonal therapy for 2 solid years until a doctor in South Africa NOT Malawi, after a pap smear confirmed that I had gone through a surgical procedure as a child and this consequently affected my sexual feeling. On questioning my mum about it, she reaffirmed. According to her, I was born with an abnormally large clitoris that they had to cut off. A certified doctor who didn’t understand the implications of what they were doing or what they were cutting off had done this. And now I am a grown-up who has never felt any sexual sensation at all. This experience of not being able to get answers in a country that did this mutilation pissed me off and I surely had to do something to protect others from the same experience.”

Were there any specific events or issues in your community that drove you to take action?

“Yes, there is a specific event in 2016 where an intersex individual in a high school from the rural area of Malawi in Kliwawa was brutally raped by the guards and the head prefect using objects. On reporting to the police, they made fun by asking the victim to show them what was in between their legs because the perpetrators had reported that the individual had two private parts.

The police continued to mock me by asking if it was true! The story went viral but no Human Rights activists cared enough to take action. I then reached out to the individual who seemed broken and did not want to open up. A week or later the individual finally jumped into Shire, a crocodile-infested river because she was a laughingstock in the village. This event truly broke my heart. Seeing a young person at the age of 15 go through so much and only end up losing their life at such a tender age because society didn’t care enough.”

Did you encounter any challenges or obstacles when starting your organisation, and how did you overcome them?

“First of all, we were not allowed to register because the government was sceptical about registering an intersex organisation. They argued that there was no data or statistics and hence hardly believed that there was a substantial number of intersex people in Malawi but also asserted that the Intersex people were part of the LGBTIQ community. I pointed out that if you think that intersex people are part of the LGBTIQ community then it’s true we exist and this is something you cannot take away only because for the longest time we have only been visible under this umbrella. But it is also very true that not all intersex people identify as LGBTQ. It was a long process of back and forth but I finally got help from UNDP and UNAIDs and finally got registered.”

What long-term goals do you hope to achieve through the Ivy Foundation?

“We are hoping that in the next at least 5 years (considering the pace of the Malawian government) we will have legislation protecting intersex people from the human rights violations and abuses they go through. We hope that the law can hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions because according to our research last year, nobody has been prosecuted for violating or abusing the rights of intersex persons in Malawi. We have already drafted the model law and policy to assist us in this journey. 

We are also hoping to see more intersex people in Malawi take up leadership roles like Tabitha and her sister in the sports fraternity. The goal is to normalise being intersex and create a more inclusive society.”

Have you seen any unexpected outcomes or benefits from Ivy Foundation’s initiatives?

“We have seen an increase in the number of intersex people who are willing to speak up about the violations they go through and also the number of allies that have come up to support our cause. It is heartwarming.”

What advice would you give to others who are considering starting their own grassroots NGOs?

“You will have more downs than ups. Motivated young founders usually expect everything to be rosy by getting so many funding opportunities and immediate acceptance from people in the first year which is not usually the case. The first few years, it will just be you making noise without anyone listening. However, over the years, more people have been willing to work with you creating more noise, I mean, I may be fat but there are plenty. Patience and resilience will eventually get you there.”

How do you stay motivated and passionate about Ivy Foundation’s mission?

“Am not going to lie, it is hard to stay motivated. We are one of the least funded organisations in Malawi and this is the trend with most intersex organizations across Africa. It is exhausting to stay motivated but when you look at how far we’ve come we can surely make one more step ahead every day.”

Interview with Sammie by our Intersex Content Contributor, Delphine Barigye

In memoriam: Sammie Kwatiwami MacJessie (20 June 1991 — 17 October 2026)

Tragically, Sammie Kwatiwami MacJessie died after a battle with cancer late Saturday night, 17th of October 2026, at the age of 35.

The outpouring of love after Sammie’s death has been tremendous. We share just a few of them here:

Messages from the Trans & Intersex History Africa (TIHA) Digital Archive team:

“Comrade Sammie, your voice, passion, activism, and invaluable contributions to African intersex movement will forever remain part of our collective history. Rest in power, Sammie. Your legacy lives on. With love and solidarity.”
— Victor Mukasa (TIHA Co-Founder | Co-Founder of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG)

​”Sammie – you left a void and your legacy will live forward. Patient in awareness raising and training sessions, you led the way for intersex individuals, their parents, teachers and cross movement organisations. We are saddened and will miss you! Rest in Power Sammie MacJessie​.”
— Liesl Theron (TIHA Co-Founder)

“Sammie, I don’t have the words to make sense of this yet. You brought so much joy to everyone who knew you, and you will be deeply missed. Rest in peace.”
— SR (TIHA Audio & Video Manager)

“Rest in peace, my dear friend. It is hard to believe that I have to say goodbye to you. Life can be so unfair, taking away the dearest people. Thank you for the memories, the laughter, and the moments we shared. Your presence in this world made a difference, and your absence leaves a pain that words cannot fully express.”
— Delphine Barigye (TIHA Intersex Content Contributor | Programme Director at Support Initiative for People with Atypical Sex Development (SIPD) Uganda).

As a digital archive of African trans, intersex and gender diverse moments and movements, we at TIHA are so honoured and grateful that we have this conversation recorded as part of the history of the African intersex movements. In this clip from the interview, Sammie speaks about their journey through educating themself about intersex conditions, to educating others and raising awareness. Sammie also speaks about the evolution of the Ivy Foundation, as well as the situation for intersex children and youth, specifically those in rural areas, as well as about the legal landscape for intersex people in Malawi. The clip ends with them leaving an inspirational message for intersex people and the parents of intersex children.

Messages from the community:

“I met Sammie online in 2016, and we finally met in person in 2017. We connected instantly because of our childlike spirits, our shared ability to laugh, joke, and never take life too seriously. Over the past 10 years, we built a beautiful relationship and became family. Not just friends, but siblings in every sense of the word.​ Sammie had been ill for a while, but somehow, you could never see it in their face. They always had a joke to crack, a word of encouragement to offer, or a way of motivating me whenever I felt like giving up. Even while fighting their own battles, they continued to show up for others. That was Sammie.​ Sammie was a courageous intersex person, a fighter whose commitment to justice never wavered. Despite the many challenges they faced in Malawi, they continued to advocate for intersex rights and built an incredible team at the IVY Foundation. Their courage, leadership, and dedication to our community will never be forgotten.​ Sammie was my Co-Chair at the Southern African Intersex Forum, and leading alongside them was a dream. We shared feminist principles, a vision for our community, and a clear understanding of why we did this work. We knew what we were fighting for, and we knew that our people deserved better. I will forever cherish the work we did together, the conversations we shared, the laughter, and the dreams we held for our community.​ Right now, I am broken. I need a moment to breathe, a moment to gather myself, and a moment to begin facing the reality that you are no longer here. I honestly do not know how to make sense of a world in which I cannot call you, laugh with you, or hear one of your jokes again.​ But I know this: your spirit will live on forever. Your work will continue through the people you inspired, the community you helped build, and every intersex person whose life is touched by the path you helped pave. We will continue speaking about your incredible work, honouring your legacy, and fighting for the future we dreamed of together.​ Rest well, my sibling. ​ Thank you for being my friend, my colleague, my co-conspirator, and my family. Thank you for showing up for me even when you were fighting battles of your own.​ I love you, Sammie. I hope you knew just how deeply you were loved. The world feels a little less bright without you in it.​ Until we meet again, my sibling. Your fight was never in vain. ”
— Crystal Hendricks​ (Southern African Intersex Forum)

“Lala ngokuthula nkokheli Sammie Macjessie. Feminists, queers, trans and lesbians across Malawi and the African continent are mourning the sad and untimely passing of yet another comrade, Sammie Macjessie. Comrade Sammie transitioned in early hours of Sunday, the 18th of October, following a struggle with cancer. At only 35 years of age, Sammie was a leading voice for rights, justice and freedom of all people, especially LGBTIQs in Malawi and across Africa. Sammie founded the Ivy Foundation to “create awareness especially for intersex persons to create a better environment which caters for their needs and is more understanding of their differences”. Living openly as an intersex person, Sammie’s activism always sought to build a society and world where belonging, regardless of sex, sexuality, genders is the cornerstone of human relations. Sammie challenged the contradictions of the notion of a friendly country – Malawi – and the hostility, discrimination and exclusions that LGBTIQ people experienced on the day-to-day. My earlier encounters with Sammie were through my work with our JASS Malawi team, Sibo and Miriam, especially through the work of the Our Bodies, Our Lives Movement (OBOL). As a feminist, Sammie engaged the OBOL feminists on cross movement work and solidarity across movement strategies. In both the 2023 JASS feminist movement building on the eve of the passing of the anti-homosexual act of Uganda, as well as the 2024 cross movement school, Sammie underlines the role of thinking across movement for developing joint strategies.

Sammie’s experiences growing up as an Intersex person in Malawi informs her convictions.
At JASS, Sammie was not only an important ally and fellow plotter, but a facilitator, bridge builder and trusted friend. As the director of the IVY Foundation, Sammie enabled deep institutional partnerships fundamental for the struggles against the anti-rights expression across the African continent. To me, Sammie is a friend and comrade I love and appreciate very much, someone I could call when having an idea, a question and to check in. Ever concerned about activists relations, tensions sweeping among us whilst the ‘enemies’ are consolidating against us, Sammie felt deeply about the need to position within movement work strategies that are geared towards the inside. Sammie’s humour and ironic ways of talking will be memorable. Sharp and articulate, respectful of class difference and holding that as key for research and action, are some of the contributions I will miss. Knowing that Sammie was always there, for Malawian struggles, for African meaning, for intersex, trans and queers was a comfort; the kind that when you think ‘locally and act globally’ gives depth; the kind that is dependable. My love and comfort to Sammie’s village: immediate and extended family, comrades across Malawi and Africa, IVY foundation colleagues and comrades, collaborators and friends. This is a huge loss, a collective loss. Sammie will be carried to her final resting place on Tuesday. From afar, I join everyone in Lilongwe and Salina with a deep pain and sadness. With the convictions we always screamed: WE WILL WIN! Transition peacefully dear comrade, leader and friend Sammie McJessie and Rise in Power. Yours is done, we will continue holding the memories and lessons you taught us.”
— Phumi Mtetwa (JASS — Just Associates: Global feminist movement-support organisation in the Global South)

“I met Sammie Macjessie in 2015, we held the first LBQ, trans and intersex workshop in Malawi. And from this workshop Sammie founded the Ivy Foundation, a feminist intersex led organization. Sammie’s passing, is a huge loss to her family, community and the region. Sammie was the calm weaver of relationships, networks, with deep and uncompromising values that has kept us all inspired, to keep working despite the multitude of tides that have hit our movements and impacted on us all so personally. My last meet up with Sammie was 2 weeks ago at the hospital in Nairobi. They remained true to form, determined to get well, filled with laughter and always making sure we all ok. Sammie thank you for sharing your life with us, for building the intersex movement to where it is today. Thank you for serving on the ​Iranti board, thank you for your service to the greater good. May we all learn from you. Rest in peace my dear friend.​”
— Jabulani Chen Pereira (Former Executive Director of Iranti.org)

Five transgender Kenyans sued the State of Kenya in October 2015 for refusing to process the change of names on their national identity cards. The state had processed their new passports but refused to do the same for their national identity cards. Some of these applications had been made in 2010. Audrey Mbugua of Transgender Education & Advocacy (TEA) was one of the clients represented at the trial. Read more here.

Jholerina  B. Timbo (Madame Jholerina) founded Wings to Transcend Namibia (WTTN) in October 2015. WTTN is a non-governmental organisation that advocates and lobbies for equity and inclusion of trans people in Namibia.

Madame Jholerina said that the reason for founding WTTN was that

“there was no actual progress or investment into realising transgender people’s needs… So, my feeling was it is time that we, as trans people, organise ourselves and start a movement of our own.”

(Source: https://beyondthemargins.africa/the-fight-against-being-a-human-no-mans-zone/)

Mission

From their website:

“Wings to Transcend Namibia will be a champion and pioneer that works for social reform, legal gender recognition, and medical justice, through leadership development and empowering of transgender individuals and communities while lobbying local government, civil society and policymakers in national and international spheres about the needs of the Transgender community in Namibia”. 

Contact

Website
Email: wingstotranscendnamibia@gmail.com
Facebook

Watch our interview with Madame Jholerina

We interviewed Madame Jholerina on 14 March 2025.

In memoriam: Celebrating the life of Madame Jholerina (7 September 1985 — 9 October 2025)

We sadly bid farewell to and celebrate the life of Madame Jholerina. Jholerina Brinnette Theodora Timbo passed away last week on the 9th of October 2025. She had only turned 40 a few weeks before. She was a colourful person, proudly wearing her traditional attire and boldly claiming space everywhere she went. She claimed the name ‘Mama Trans’ as she was a mother, sister, ally and supporter to many young and newly out trans women, who came to her looking for a voice to speak their truth.

Jholerina was part of the emerging years of the early trans movement in Southern Africa. She attended the first trans- and intersex-specific workshop in Africa, hosted by IGLHRC (today known as Outright International) and Gender DynamiX, held in South Africa in December 2008. It was at this Eastern and Southern African Trans/Gender Identity Institute that she met art activist, Gabrielle Le Roux, and collaborated as a participant in the series of drawings, known as the “Proudly African & Transgender” project. She was also one of the participants in the first Intercontinental Trans Advocacy meeting, in Barcelona, Spain in June 2010, where the series of artworks was exhibited for the first time.

She founded Wings To Transcend Namibia (WTTN) in October 2015, because, as she put it: “there was no actual progress or investment into realising transgender people’s needs… So, my feeling was it is time that we, as trans people, organise ourselves and start a movement of our own.” To many, Madame Jholerina was so much more than the founder of WTTN. Apart from the lives she touched and the work she did outside of her role at WTTN while she was the Executive Director, she also served as a Grant-Making Panellist for the International Trans Fund (2023 – 2024), was a Mandela Washington fellow (2018), and part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI, 2016), among many other accomplishments. She was an undeniable force, as her tireless and passionate work was only outshone by her warm heart, her endless generosity, and her naughty sense of humour.

Our co-founder, Liesl Theron, who knew Jholerina since 2008, shares her reflections on the news of Madame Jholerina’s death:

“My heart is still very broken after I heard the news Thursday about the passing of Madame Jholerina. The most recent time we saw each other was in June 2024, when I was organising logistics for the ITF and you attended the GMP meeting in Mexico City. The last day of GMP activities included attending the Mexico City Pride. You were boldly in bright colours as always, with a flower crown on your head! I remember those early years, way back in 2008 with our first regional trans projects, and you were part of it! We giggled every time, when you told me that you took over the name ‘Mama Trans’.”

The Trans & Intersex History Africa (TIHA) Digital Archive team mourns with her family, friends and colleagues, and we strive to honour her legacy by continuing to work for the rights of trans Africans. Rest in power, Madame J. Thank you for all that you did.

— Liesl, Victor and the TIHA team.

Memorial Service, 16 October 2025, Namibia

On the 16th of October, the Namibia Diverse Women’s Association (NWDA) held a memorial service for Madame Jholerina in her home country, Namibia.

In August 2015, a report on violations to children and people born intersex or with differences of sex development was launched by Support Initiative for People with Atypical Sexual Development (SIPD), airing the most revolting abuses and violations that intersex people experience. The Report is titled, ‘Uganda Report of Violations to Children and People Born Intersex or with Differences of Sex Development’. You can read the full report here.

The highlight of the Report was Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM) which was then commonly referred to as surgery without consent. The Report shows that over 22 cases of intersex genital mutilation were recorded in that year alone not to mention that these are the only documented cases. Many go by behind closed curtains. The Report displays a picture of an intersex child whose surgery had gone wrong and the child was left in a state where they were oozing urine all day long. The mother needed to buy Pamper’s (nappies), which she could not afford, for a grown child who did not need them in the first place. This is only one of the countless side effects that IGM bears.

Intersex Genital Mutilation is commonly referred to as the non-consensual and medically unnecessary procedures performed on intersex individuals, often during infancy or childhood to alter their genitalia to fit societal norms. These procedures can include surgeries to modify genital appearances or remove reproductive organs. Typical forms of IGM include clitoral reduction, vaginoplasty and gonadectomy.

The launch had representatives from all the East African countries at that time besides Tanzania including Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda. The launch was attended by over 30 key stakeholders including Intersex community members with their families, health service providers especially midwives and paediatricians, intersex human rights activists and activists from affiliated civil society organisations.

The launch of the report was attended by representatives of 30 East African countries

Female Genital Mutilation explained

The practice is not usually given the term female genital mutilation (FGM).  In some parts of Africa, it is referred to as female circumcision.  The tradition involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia. The practice is still found in several African countries including Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Tanzania, Ethiopia and many more. The practice is seen as part of a girl’s initiation into womanhood and hence a prerequisite for marriage. It is usually carried out to control women’s sexuality as it is also thought to ensure virginity before marriage and fidelity afterwards and to increase male sexual pleasure. Young girls are usually persuaded to accept the tradition with promises that it will bring riches to the family, and help them have children easily.

Are both IGM and FGM rooted in societal control?

IGM has in many circumstances been compared to FGM in discussions about nonconsensual genital surgeries and the violation of bodily autonomy. Both practices are rooted in societal control reflecting deep-seated norms and beliefs about gender roles, sexuality and appearance.

Gender norms

IGM: Procedures performed on intersex individuals often aim to enforce traditional binary gender norms by altering genitalia to fit societal expectations.

FGM: Often carried out to control female sexuality, FGM reflects cultural beliefs that link a woman’s virtue and modesty to the modification of her genitalia.

Power dynamics

IGM: Medical professionals and parents might make decisions about intersex children’s bodies, exerting control over their physical development without their consent.

FGM: Typically performed within specific cultural contexts, FGM is often driven by a desire to maintain power structures and control over women’s bodies within patriarchal societies.

Cultural and social expectations

IGM: Societal expectations regarding binary gender norms drive the urge to conform intersex individuals to these norms through medical interventions.

FGM: Embedded in cultural traditions, FGM is often seen as a way to ensure a girl’s marriageability and adherence to established cultural practices.

In both cases, societal control manifests through these practices, highlighting the importance of challenging harmful norms, promoting bodily autonomy and respecting the rights of individuals.

Impact of the practices on individuals

The practices have deep and lasting repercussions on the lives of the individuals who live these experiences. Both can lead to immediate and long-term physical complications including physical pain, scarring and chronic pain. The non-consensual surgeries cause profound psychological trauma leading to feelings of anxiety and depression.

A lived reality for Ronnie Zuze from Zimbabwe

Ronnie has undergone four unnecessary genital corrective surgeries since birth.  Three of these happened in the early 1980s when Ronnie was still an infant. As a young adult, Ronnie was able to put a stop to any more of these surgeries as they were more aware of the harm they were causing them. Unfortunately, the harm that was done is irreversible and has resulted in lifelong medical complications which Ronnie refers to as extremely challenging to address. The surgeries also caused chronic pain, permanent scarring and emotional struggles. The medical record keeping in at hospitals at that time was also characterized by insufficient organisation and documentation posing challenges for comprehensive healthcare and forsaking Ronnie to having no medical history. Ronnie wishes that the doctors had waited to do the surgeries and given them a chance to be part of the decision to whether or not to have these surgeries done on them. They strongly advocate for patience and the need to prioritise informed consent when it comes to cosmetic surgeries on intersex individuals.

It’s time to end outdated and harmful practices of female genital mutilation (FGM) and Intersex genital mutilation (IGM)

The African community must unite against the harmful practices of female genital mutilation and Intersex genital mutilation. These outdated traditions not only infringe upon fundamental human rights but also perpetuate cycles of physical and psychological suffering. By fostering awareness, education, and advocating for legal measures, we can collectively work towards eradicating these practices, empowering individuals to make informed choices about their bodies, and ensuring a future where everyone can live free from the shadows of such practices. Focus on changing these roots of control to foster a world where every person regardless of gender can thrive in an environment that upholds dignity, equality and the right to bodily integrity.

Now is the time to end Intersex Genital Mutilation and Female Genital Mutilation.

This article was written by our Intersex Content Contributor, Delphine Barigye.

Protea Psychosocial Support Project for Transgender People (PPSTP) was officially registered in August 2015. It would change its name to the Trans Wellness Project (TWP) in 2016 during its first strategic planning session, which included board and community members. Formed by former Gender DynamiX (GDX) staff member, Whitney Quanita Booysen, TWP works with trans and gender diverse issues in the rural and remote areas of South Africa.

Vision

Trans Wellness Project envisions a South Africa where the needs and challenges of trans and gender diverse people in rural and remote areas are included in programming, research and policies and procedures.

Mission

To take a holistic approach in the health and wellness of trans and gender diverse people in the rural areas of South Africa.

Objectives

Putting energy into rural and remote areas of South Africa and focusing on trans and gender diverse people in a holistic way, focusing on: Research, Access to hormones and surgeries, HIV/AIDS and TB Management, Health and Productivity Management, Wellness Management, Partnership Development and Financially Viability.

Services

Services include:

• Research
• Access to hormones and surgeries
• HIV/AIDS and TB Management
• Health and Productivity Management
• Wellness Management
• Partnership Development
• Financially Viability
• Organisational Direction

Contact

Website
Email: info@twp.org.za
+27 73 636 7470
Facebook

The Kenyan High Court dismissed Transgender Education & Advocacy (TEA)’s case, Misc. Civil Application 263 of 2014, filed on 10 July 2014, calling it premature, as the medical board had formed a task force to advise the Ministry of Health on the development of guidelines on the management of “transsexualism”*. TEA was ordered to pay the state’s legal fees.

The case was brought against the medical board as TEA’a Audrey Mbugua argued that the Board had failed to develop National Guidelines for the Management of Gender Identity Disorders**. Read more here.

* “Transsexualism” is a medical term, outdated in many countries.

** “Gender Identity Disorder” is no longer a term used in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), since 2013. The updated term is “gender dysphoria”.

Founded in 2015 by Rikki Nathanson, Trans* Research, Education, Advocacy & Training (TREAT) was the first trans-led, and gender-diverse focused organisation in Zimbabwe. TREAT’s mission is to inform and transform attitudes and address injustice and inequalities faced by the trans diverse population in Zimbabwe. After being arrested under charges such as criminal nuisance for using the “wrong” bathrooms in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Rikki Nathanson realised the huge gap in the general public’s ignorance and miseducation about gender, transgender and gender diverse people. Rikki relocated to the US, claiming asylum. Sam Ndlovu has been the Executive Director of TREAT since 2019.

Vision

TREAT is an initiative that seeks to address the rights issues in the education, advocacy and training about and to, the basic violations of the human rights of the trans* diverse and gender non-conforming population of Zimbabwe. It envisions a Zimbabwe where everyone is free to express their gender within, across and beyond the male-female binary without fear of discrimination, stigma or victimisation.

Mission

To inform and transform attitudes and address injustice and inequalities faced by Trans diverse population in Zimbabwe.

Focus Areas

• Health: including the Sexual Reproductive health rights (SRHR), Hormone Replacement therapy (HRT) and psycho social support.
• Justice: the protection by the law around issues such as abuse and violence in all forms.
• Socio-economic: including among other things, discrimination faced in schools, workplaces, medical and other facilities, families and the general population at large.

Contact

Website
Email: treatorg22@gmail.com
Facebook

Watch our Interview with Rikki Nathanson

We interviewed Rikki on the 11th of April 2025 about her life and activism.

According to TTI’s founder, Mwamba Nyanda,

“Throughout the years we have managed to serve, reach out and impact our constituency through different strategies, e.g.
• Through capacity building, where we provide knowledge and tools for Trans persons to develop their Human rights work.
• Movement building, working g intersectional with other organisation like women’s organisation to share feminist experiences and strategy to win has a collective.
• Use of Creative Arts, to better tell our own stories, heal has queer person and shape our own future. This helps us to dive in our creative side and share it with the world around us e.g. Music that sends messages and heals peoples heart around us.
• Sports, this tool created liberation for young diverse women seeking equality and freedom of expression, it helped trans persons in times of anti-rights movements, and escape from violent community.
• All this provided us with strategies to go about our Advocacy on human right Issues.
• Working intersectional and in the regional level has amplify our work and kept us on the map and face of the community, with challenges along the way, shaped our formation and demanded our work to strive harder for the Trans community.”

Vision

TTI envisions a transformed Tanzanian society where Young ITGNC persons have access to good health, education, equal opportunities in all sectors, enjoy gender equality and do not face any form of violence and discrimination.

Mission

TTI is a group of feminist, trans who aim to address the multiple and intersecting oppressions faced by its beneficiaries through:

• Raising awareness on trans and women’s issues,
• Empowering young women and trans youth on leadership.
• Promoting gender justice and equality.
• Collaborating with government, law enforcement officers, policymakers, Civil Society Organizations and other Community Based Organisations to address health issues, drive social economic stability for achievement of sustainable development goals.
• Providing knowledge and a foundation for empathy and understanding of the needs of TTI’s constituency.

Goal

To ensure that ITGNC (intersex, trans and gender non-conforming) persons understand their human rights and how to fight for them for survival and for peaceful life without discrimination and that they are empowered and enabled to realize sustainable livelihood and are living in the country a peaceful life without discrimination and humiliation.

Contact

Email: artirism@gmail.com
+255 695 880 453
Facebook
Instagram

The Fairy Godmother Community Project was founded in Cape Town, South Africa by Sandra Lentoor, also known as Cape Town drag queen, Sandra Dee, and was officially registered on the 29th of October 2014.

Interview with Sandra Dee: From District 6 to District Royalty

We spoke to Sandra Dee Lentoor in December 2023 about the founding of the Fairy Godmother Community Project and her reasons for founding the Project.

The Fairy Godmother Community Project is involved with community upliftment in Hanover Park, one of the most gang-frequented areas in Cape Town.  One way the project makes a difference is as a vital outreach to elderly citizens of her community living in one of Cape Town’s most gang-riddled suburbs.  At weekly events, these vulnerable community members get treated to special luncheons hosted by Sandra.  But it is a huge challenge because according to Sandra, 

“The ladies have to cross busy streets and face the skollies on the way to the civic centre to attend.” (‘Skollies‘ is South African slang for gangsters, dangerous people or criminals). She says that fewer and fewer of the elderly attend due to the regular shootings in their area. “I believe that seniors must be treated with dignity and respect, not live in fear or fall victim to the next crossfire by the gangs”.  

Princess Project

Another project hosted by the Fairy Godmothers is the Princess Project.  In this programme, the project supplies matric farewell outfits to members of her community who cannot afford to buy or rent a gown for their special night.  According to Sandy, people from all over Cape Town ask her to help their children and she is too happy to help:

“I even help them with their hair and makeup and I love the feeling of making them feel beautiful”. 

Sandy runs the Princess Project from the Youth Impact and Sustainable Solutions (YISS) hub at the Crystal High School in Hanover Park. 

The clothes are donated by various organisations and by people with suits and dresses hanging unused in their cupboards at home.  Regular contributions are made by Sandy’s ‘girls’, her endearing term for some of Cape Town’s other drag queens.  The outfits are loaned free of charge to people who are unable to afford a fee for the use of the service, but if they can afford a small donation, it is used towards the luncheons and annual Christmas party held for the senior community members of Hanover Park.

When asked what the inspiration was for the Princess Project, Sandra said it was her own life experiences that prompted it:

“Because I’ve been a queen all my life I want to give back to the community. The boys and girls must be able to experience something like this at least once.”

Sandra’s story

“You see, I was born like like this. I remember when I was about 5 years old, it was in the 1950s when we were still living in District 6 before my family was displaced by the Apartheid government.  My mom was doing the washing, and when hanging up the laundry. I would steal one of my older sisters’ dresses when my mom was not looking and disappeared for hours until my mom realised the dress was gone.  She would then send my cousin to look for me and find me in the dress in the street outside.  My drag queen life started at the age of 11 years when I ran away from home after I had enough of years of sexual abuse by some people I knew. I was living on the street in Seapoint.  And I was in drag, then and ever since.”

Since the 1960s, Sandra partook in various beauty pageants and was the first to be crowned unofficial Miss Gay Cape Town, now known as Miss Gay Western Cape. Her crown was not official, because being gay remained illegal in South Africa until 1989.  Therefore, although the event started in the apartheid years, it has only gained visibility since the early 2000s and is now recognised as the largest and most popular gay pageant in South Africa.

When asked what it must have been to live a life in drag in the 1970s in South Africa, Sandy reminisced that she was accepted by her own community but that white people were not as accepting. 

“Everything was fine as long as we did not go down to the main road.  There we would be picked up for ‘masquerading as women’ and we would be thrown in jail. Sandra was arrested many times, sometimes the case would be thrown out of court but other times she was less lucky and she has spent a few stints in jail.” 

According to Sandra, she once spent time in a holding cell with Nelson Mandela:

“I think Mandela always had an understanding of the suffering of us moffies.  That’s probably why he has given us this constitution where we are all free.” (‘Moffies‘ is South African slang meaning ‘gay men’).

Sandra says,

“I went through hell in the 70s and 80s because of the Apartheid regime but it made me a strong woman today.”

Sandra is not only the founder of her own NGO, she also serves on the Community Advisory Board (CAB) of the University of Cape Town, and is a member of YES NGO.

Read more about the Project.

Sandra awarded 2025 Pride Heroes Award

In 2025, Sandra was one of the activists awarded with the 2025 Pride Heroes Award. Evan Tsouroulis, the Cape Town Pride Marketing, Sponsorship & Parade Coordinator, said this about the Awards:

“The Pride Heroes Awards are a way for Cape Town Pride as an organisation to shine the spotlight on the unsung heroes of our community as well as to honour and recognise their contributions.”

(Source: Mambaonline)

“Legendary Hanover Park activist and drag icon Sandra Dee (Sandra Lentoor) was honoured for her decades-long commitment to empowering youth and celebrating queer visibility through The Fairy Godmother Project. Founded a decade ago, the initiative provides underprivileged matric learners with dresses, hairstyling, and makeup for their Matric Ball, while also engaging local seniors as ‘Fairy Godmothers’ and mentors. A former resident of District Six, Sandra has survived violence, prejudice, and apartheid-era persecution to become a beacon of hope and glamour. Through fashion, mentorship, and joy, she continues to transform lives and uplift her community.”

(Same source)

Watch our interview with Sandra Dee, 30 January 2026

The Court observed that,

“Human dignity is that intangible element that makes a human being complete. It goes to the heart of human identity. Every human has a value. Human dignity can be violated through humiliation, degradation or dehumanisation. Each individual has inherent dignity which our Constitution protects. Human dignity is the cornerstone of the other human rights enshrined in the Constitution.”

Further, the Court noted that

“the law does not require that a gender mark be imposed on a KCSE certificate. A KCSE certificate can therefore be completed without a gender mark. The Court takes judicial notice of the fact that examinations in this country are not administered based on the gender of the candidate. Marks are also not awarded based on gender. Removal of the gender mark will therefore not dilute the quality of the certificate.” High Court Judge Weldon Korir said, “These are the orders that will make the applicant complete as a human being.”

As a result of an organisational strategic planning meeting, Gender Dynamix (GDX) resigned from Transitioning Africa (TA) on 7 August 2014. Not long thereafter, Transitioning Africa dissolved. 

In his ruling, Justice George Odunga stated that in failing to register TEA, the Kenyan NGO Coordination Board had acted in a manner that was “unfair, unreasonable, unjustified and in breach of rules of natural justice.” The Kenyan NGO Coordination Board was ordered to register TEA with immediate effect.