Okong'o Kinyanjui

Operating in a hostile and threatening environment, Okong’o is building a safe platform for the African queer community, helping members to rebuild their self-reliance and dignity, as well as to thrive and find diverse opportunities for growth. Moreover, he builds a coalition of allies for a movement, enabling the queer people to become active and respected members of the society.

In most African countries the law is discriminating and penalizing LGBTQ+ people, also being ostracized by the prejudiced society and in many cases – by their own families. In this hostile and threatening environment Okong’o is pioneering a solution to empower and connect LGBTQ+ Africans through a secure digital platform. Okong’o addresses the critical need for a safe space that enables resource sharing, mobilization, and community building. The platform serves as a vital lifeline for LGBTQ+ Africans to thrive and regain their previously shattered self-reliance and dignity, have opportunities for growth and advocate on queer issues. By creating this protected online ecosystem, Okong’o is tackling the systemic fragmentation that has historically prevented queer Africans from uniting, organizing, and accessing crucial support networks.

At the heart of Okong’os innovation are four interconnected pathways that provide comprehensive support to its members enabling them to thrive in a peaceful way. The social networking component, a fundraising & marketplace, an extensive opportunities database, and a publishing pathway (blog).

Recognizing the critical importance of security in such a sensitive context, Okong’o has implemented rigorous safeguards to protect the community members by mitigating the risk of infiltration by bad actors. He is also leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize functionalities of the platform such us the adoption of a WhatsApp Opportunities chatbot serving as an inclusive pathway to partner and cooperate with non-queer persons.

Okong’o is not just creating a digital safe haven - he is building a movement that is reshaping the perceptions and realities for LGBTQ+ Africans across the continent.

The roots of the systemic alienation and isolation faced by 50 million queer Africans in anglophone countries in the continent, can be traced back to the colonial era. The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, which regulated the colonization and division of Africa among European powers, laid the foundation for the current challenges. This conference resulted in the arbitrary drawing of borders and the partitioning of Africa into colonial territories, disregarding the cultural, ethnic, and historical boundaries of indigenous African populations. Furthermore, colonial legal systems forced upon young African nations encouraged state-led violence towards queer individuals phrased as “acts against nature.” This legacy continues to disconnect LGBTQ+ Africans from each other and hinders their ability to mobilize around issues or share resources. The impact of these colonial-era laws is still evident today, with former British Prime Minister Theresa May expressing deep regret in 2018 for the UK’s colonial anti-gay laws that “[…]were passed under British rule and are still used in 37 of the Commonwealth’s 53 member nations […] Across the world discriminatory laws made many years ago continue to affect the lives of many people, criminalizing same-sex relations and failing to protect women and girls.”

The current legal and social landscape in many African countries remains hostile towards LGBTQ+ individuals. Homosexuality is criminalized in 32 out of 54 African countries, with penalties ranging from life imprisonment to death for even suspicion of advocating on LGBTQ+ matters. For instance, in Uganda, homosexual relationships are punishable by life imprisonment. The resulting culture is one in which LGBTQ+ individuals are isolated and hesitate to embrace their true identities due to concerns about being discovered, even when seeking assistance from others. Moreover, even South Africa, a country which is known to have very comprehensive legal protections for queer persons, there is still an embedded culture that perpetuates such many other forms of violence.

The systemic alienation experienced by queer Africans manifests in both personal and professional spheres. Many individuals are forced to navigate unique struggles while simultaneously dealing with the larger socio-economic challenges faced by other citizens. This isolation is compounded by the fact that LGBTQ+ individuals are often rejected by their families, academic institutions, and workplaces, leaving them with limited options to pursue their ambitions as their most authentic selves. A study by the Yale School of Public Health revealed that 83% of LGBTQ+ people across the world hide their sexuality, a practice that can lead to significant mental and physical health issues, increased healthcare costs, and a dampening of the public visibility necessary for advancing equal rights.

The fragmentation of the queer African community is a critical issue that perpetuates the cycle of isolation and powerlessness. The criminalization of LGBTQ+ identities and activities has created an environment where individuals are intentionally disconnected from each other, making it difficult to create connections and increase visibility amongst them. This disconnection leads to a replication of efforts, as it is not visible who is working on which issues, with everyone forced into hiding. The lack of a centralized place to find research, ask for help, or access other resources further compounds this problem. As a result, the distribution of resources becomes fragmented, with people who want to contribute or make use of them and not knowing where to look.

Safety and security concerns pose significant challenges for queer Africans, both in physical and digital spaces. Extortionists often infiltrate queer spaces, both virtual and in-person, to blackmail individuals, knowing they can profit from the risk. A survey conducted among Queer African Network (QAN) members revealed alarming statistics: one out of four queer Africans have faced revenge porn on social media platforms, with the majority of cases occurring on Twitter. Furthermore, 31% of queer Africans have faced blackmail on social media platforms, and 37% had their identity outed publicly, primarily on Facebook and WhatsApp. These threats come not only from outside the community but also from within, as some queer individuals, driven by their own trauma and the potential for profit, engage in blackmail and extortion against their peers.

The lack of autonomy and choice within resource allocation systems designed to assist queer Africans further exacerbates their challenges. Traditional funders often view the queer community as passive victims instead of active changemakers, removing agency, dignity, and choice from them when it comes to making informed decisions or allocating resources that will maximize impact in the community. The Global Resources Report by Funders for LGBTQ+ Issues highlights this disparity: out of the USD 576 million in global philanthropic funding dedicated to LGBTQ+ matters in 2019-2020, only USD 53 million (9%) was assigned to Sub-Saharan Africa organizations. Moreover, the majority of this funding is channeled into advocacy and health matters, leaving minimal support for capacity and community building, and the self-actualization of queer Africans. This top-down approach from philanthropic efforts often decides on behalf of the queer African community, removing their agency and voice in determining what needs to be funded and how resources should be allocated.

As a queer African, the realities mentioned in the above section were (and still are) a common thread throughout Okong’o’s life story. He found out that he was gay early on in his youth years and, before coming out to anyone, the first place that he went seeking community was on the internet. Creating an anonymous profile in a social media platform is a common practice amongst the queer community in Africa since most of them feel that they can’t tell their immediate friends and family because of the risk of being disowned or facing violence. Young Okong’o witnessed how those who revealed their identity online were victims of blackmailing, doxing and other threatening actions.

At the age of 18, Okong’o got a scholarship to study Sociology and Political Science at Quest University, Canada. During his studies he explored how to leverage technology to support the freedom of queer Africans in the continent. Okong’o was particularly interested in how LGBTQ+ Africans, specifically asylum seekers and refugees, were using technology to archive the violence and the surveillance that they were facing. At the same time, he continued his activism efforts with one of his major achievements being elected as Human Rights Minister as well as the President of the Student Council.

In 2020, after his dissertation he decided to quit a well-paid job and launched the Queer African Network (QAN) totally committed to address the social issues that his community was facing in the continent. Okong’o understood that one of the key challenges of operating in such a hostile environment was to create a super secure online platform for queer people who otherwise were threatened and feeling underdogs hiding their sexual orientation in their communities.

Okong’o created a unique member-to-member invitation system, ensuring that new users are vetted by existing community members. This approach allows him to trace the origin of invitations, mitigating the risk of infiltration by bad actors. The verification process for new members can take up to three weeks, involving a thorough review of the applicant’s online presence and potential endorsements from reputable organizations. QAN offers an extra layer of verification for users who wish to access more sensitive features or groups within the platform. This "verified mark" requires submission of government-issued identification and vouching from two existing QAN members. While members can choose to remain anonymous in their profiles, the organization maintains a secure database of real names, striking a delicate balance between privacy and accountability. The platform also employs two-factor authentication to log in, as well as regular security audits by external cybersecurity firms to ensure ongoing protection against potential threats.

Okong’o’s innovative approach to online safety for vulnerable communities has garnered attention from major tech companies. Meta (the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) and TikTok have reached out to Okong’o to learn about security practices and explore ways to make their own platforms safer for LGBTQ+ users. Okong’o is collaborating with these companies to develop a database of hate speech in local African languages, which will be used to flag harassment and violence across their platforms. This partnership demonstrates how Okong’o is influencing online safety practices on a global scale, extending its impact far beyond its immediate user base.

A key aspect of Okong’o’s strategy is shifting the resource allocation and decision-making power to the queer community itself. QAN’s fundraising and marketplace enable direct peer-to-peer support and showcase the talents and contributions of queer African entrepreneurs and artists. By facilitating these connections and transactions, Okong’o is building a more self-reliant and economically empowered queer community. Furthermore, the platform’s focus on sharing opportunities and resources aims to address the disparity in funding allocation for LGBTQ+ issues in Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa, which historically has received only a small fraction of global philanthropic support for queer causes. Okong’o collaborates with the Queer Africa Ally Chamber of Commerce, which is a Pan African queer bank that gives loans to LGBTQ+ organizations using QAN’s marketplace as a directory to identify innovators and invest on them. This level of interaction with the platform flips the role of Queer Africans in resource distribution and funding from a crisis oriented and being mere ‘receivers’ – as most of the organizations in the field -, to growth oriented and changemaking.

The social networking component allows users to connect, share experiences, and build relationships in a secure environment free from the threats of exposure or harassment that plague mainstream social media platforms. The opportunities pathway comprises an extensive database which connects users with jobs, scholarships, grants, fellowships and other resources tailored to LGBTQ+ Africans. Finally, the publishing/ blog feature serves as a hub for affirming content, and information sharing, fostering a sense of cultural identity and empowerment among members. It also serves as an open-source repository of research findings, templates, and toolkits, as well as career talks by and for members available for free. This has been especially helpful for researchers, policy work, informal groups and young members looking for the right information (i.e., legal forms to registering their organizations, volunteer & employment contracts, online events planning, hosting, as well as fundraising workshops) since very often they struggle to find reliable materials compliant with the laws in the specific countries.

Operating in an environment where there is almost no research, documentation or statistics about the situation and needs of the community – because researchers are usually persecuted -, Okong’o teamed up with a university which helped to develop a comprehensive multifaceted questionnaire that reveals the real situation, feelings, needs and ambitions of the community. This and other research findings are openly shared by QAN’s members under publishing feature and are easily accessible through the platform.

Queer organizations experience significant anxiety and trauma due to their ongoing struggles which is exacerbated by the limited funding available in the sector, leaving many organizations fighting for survival. As a result, instead of forming coalitions and collaborating, they often end up competing against one another, gatekeeping, or undermining each other’s efforts. To address this, Okong’o makes QAN to be a forum where all queer organizations can come together and work collaboratively. Rather than competing with existing legal advocacy and health-focused organizations, QAN serves as a platform for these groups to reach their constituencies more effectively and safely.

For example, the National Gay Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) in Kenya uses QAN to share legal resources and mobilize support for their advocacy efforts. This collaborative approach allows Okong’o to focus on its core strengths of community building and resource sharing while amplifying the work of specialized organizations. Additionally, Okong’o is fostering connections with queer-friendly businesses and service providers, creating a directory of verified professionals ranging from therapists to lawyers, further expanding the support network available to QAN members.

While QAN primary focus is on digital community building, Okong’o recognizes the importance of offline connections and is strategically expanding into this space. He has partnered with Sadili, a sports complex in Nairobi that also offers co-working spaces and accommodation, to create a residency program for both queer and non-queer social entrepreneurs. This initiative aims to foster collaboration and understanding between diverse groups while providing a safe physical space for queer individuals to work and connect. The residency program also serves as a platform for exploring how to work across silos and reimagine various sectors from an inclusivity and diversity perspective. By bridging the online and offline worlds, Okong’o is creating a more holistic support ecosystem for the queer African community.

To address the public opinion, Okong’o created a docu-series of seven real-life stories that challenge the reductive narrative of queer Africans as mere recipients of aid, showcasing them instead as active innovators, change makers, and co-creators of solutions. These short films are hosted on a video hosting platform, Vimeo, and Okong’o also conducts private screenings. The decision to keep them private stems from advice by queer film producers, who warned that public screenings might lead to the Kenya Film Classification Board banning the films and potentially arresting him. Therefore, Okong’o must carefully manage outreach and screenings. He shares the films with allies and donors at various events, such as the Skoll World Forum, aiming to change perceptions and highlight the immense talent within the queer African community. The goal is to shift attitudes and demonstrate the potential impact of investing in this talent.

To scale and expand QAN’s reach across Africa, Okong’o is taking a measured and strategic approach. Rather than focusing on rapid user growth, which could compromise the platform’s security and integrity, he is prioritizing organic expansion through word-of-mouth referrals and partnerships with trusted organizations. This approach allows the platform to maintain its rigorous verification processes while steadily increasing its user base. Okong’o is also exploring the development of a regional ambassador program, where verified members would facilitate country-specific online groups within QAN and serve as physical extensions of the organization in their local communities. These ambassadors would be responsible for hosting and verifying in-person events, connecting with local queer-friendly businesses, and providing localized resources and support.

QAN, by 2024 has already made significant strides. The platform currently serves over 2,000 members from 18 different African countries, fostering a truly pan-African queer community. Users have sent over 13,700 messages and created 516 posts, indicating high levels of engagement and connection-building. The platform hosts 15 active groups and 11 organizational pages, providing spaces for focused discussions and resource sharing. The blog section features 147 published articles, serving as a valuable knowledge repository for the community. Over 290 members have signed up for the Opportunity Recommendation Service, accessing a database of 1,769 verified job opportunities, scholarships, and grants. The marketplace features 40 listings from queer-owned businesses, contributing to economic empowerment within the community. Additionally, QAN has hosted 18 virtual events, further strengthening community ties and knowledge sharing.

Okong’o has ambitious plans for replication, scaling impact, and institutionalizing his ideas. He aims to expand QAN’s reach to 50,000-100,000 users over the next 5-10 years, while maintaining the platform’s high security standards. To support this growth, he plans to build a full team of developers and legal experts, to continually enhance its features and security measures. Okong’o envisions QAN becoming the primary hub for resource sharing, mobilization, and coalition-building among queer Africans across the continent and in the diaspora. He also plans to expand partnerships with employment accelerators, universities, and other institutions to create more opportunities for QAN members. Okong’o is looking to engage with Mastercard Foundation for academic scholarships, and Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator (South Africa) amongst other organizations with big talent pools who envision a thriving economy and a functional society driven by the potential of its youth through equitable talent recruitment.

In the long term, Okong’o hopes to dedicate more time to research and policy development, using insights from QAN to inform broader societal changes. Through these efforts, he aims to shift the narrative around queer Africans from one of victimhood to one of agency, innovation, and leadership, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and equitable society across the African continent.

Okong’o is the middle child of three siblings, born and raised in Nairobi. Some of his fondest memories were formed at his aunt's sports club where she had founded an organization to enrich the lives of vulnerable children from Kibera through sports. This early exposure to community-driven initiatives would later influence Okong’o’s approach to social change.

From a young age Okong’o dreamt of becoming a professional tennis player to get a scholarship and study abroad which he believed would provide more protection as a gay man. At the age of 16, his life took an unexpected turn when an injury dashed his hopes of becoming a professional tennis player and led him to reconsider his future. This setback coincided with a period of intense personal struggle as he grappled with his sexual identity in a deeply homophobic environment. This period of adversity proved transformative, as it led Okong’o to recognize the urgent need for support systems for LGBTQ+ youth in Kenya and across Africa. Moreover, he realized that he did not need to leave his country of birth to live a happy and fulfilling life as a gay man, and that all queer people deserved the same opportunity.

Throughout his academic years, Okong’o held the highest student leadership positions which gave him a safe platform to advocate for equitable policies for all groups, including those based on class, race, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Okong'o attended A-Levels at the African Leadership Academy in South Africa and took the lead of the student sexuality discussion group and other queer related issues. Even though he was part of a diverse group of African leaders, he could still find commonalities amongst the queer community who were operating from a place of fear to be seen, outed, or known about, and eventually leading to isolation.

In university, he was fascinated by the intersection of technology and queer African liberation. This emerged from his personal insight and research on the importance of addressing the “first virtual experience” as an LGBTQ+ African, since that it could be the defining moment of whether someone finds a community of people who supports them, or they must flee to another country because the family “is trying to kill you.” Therefore, Okong’o understood that if the sector didn’t acknowledge the virtual component of the queer African experience, solutions were missing out a pivotal point in a lot of people’s lives.

The Queer African Network (QAN) began to crystallize during his university years. Despite facing personal challenges, including a severe health crisis that left him hospitalized for three months, Okong’o remained committed to his vision. His resilience and innovative approach to addressing the security and connectivity needs of the queer African community caught the attention of over 1.5 million viewers of his Ted Talk, as well as major tech companies. In addition, his work earned him recognition from organizations like Echoing Green and Skoll (x2) selecting him as a Fellow, as well as participating in the “Leaders Program” by The Obama Foundation. Through QAN, Okong’o is not only creating a digital safe haven but nurturing a movement with the potential to reshape perceptions and realities for LGBTQ+ Africans across the continent, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to fostering inclusivity and empowerment in the face of adversity.