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OUR STORY
I am Samphiwa, I am almost 23. I met the love of my life and my family didn't approve of him because he's trans. After living in a tension filled environment for months, it all came to a head and then I no longer felt safe at home. So I packed most of the clothing I had, some photos and I left. I had nowhere to go. And then we found live in positions, whilst there Jess got injured.
I am Jess (Dom), 27. When I got injured a lot changed. I could no longer keep up at work. Even now I experience blurry vision, dizzy spells, constant pain, I lose feeling in my fingers and have memory loss. We couldn't stay at the job, I couldn't work and needed round the clock care at that point.
We left and used what ever savings we had to survive. It was hard and I was ashamed that I couldn't work like I used to. We were desperate for work and took the first thing that came a long. Then things went horribly wrong. Everything we were promised this job would be, was what it was not.
We had to work very long hours, we were discriminated against. Jess was openly threatened and when it was reported, nothing was done.
I started having panic attacks on the way to work, I would stop and not want to go further, I was truly scared. I was regularly cornered and threatened. I started to feel like I was going insane. I would randomly burst into tears and couldn't sleep. I felt like I was going to end up in a psychiatric ward.
Jess was not okay to be left alone. Suicide had been a regular topic. I couldn't continue working, fearing the person I love would be dead when I came home. I was scared Jess would end up in a psych ward, I was scared to lose the person I love.
We left. We opened a complaint against the company and like so many other LGBTI people, we are waiting.
We need this place as mush as the people we are striving to create it for, becuase for us there is NOTHING else.
Our cause
We want to create a safe haven for LGBTI people like us. We want to build a self-sustainable, safe space. A community in which LGBTI people can stay, grow and embrace themselves whole-heartedly. This community is for those who are kicked out of home, for those that don't feel safe and for those who are struggling to stay afloat. Wolf Haven, wants to run skills exchange programs in which people can gain valid skills for the job market. We would want to have counselling, by a psychologist for those who need the help.
We want to create a network within the Haven and in South Africa as a whole. We want to create a pack mentality within the LGBTI community, where we take care of each other. With skills exchange as one of our core directives, we want to try and encourage LGBTI business owners to take people going through Wolf Haven and people part of the larger LGBT community as apprentices and so on. We want to make the LGBTI community connected in a way that they haven't been before.
The aim of the Haven is not to be a charity, where we have to constantly fund raise to keep the Haven going. The idea is to be as sustainable as we can possibly be. And then to eventually get to the point of generating our own income for the Haven. So that we can keep growing the community. Once the community is established, we don't want to have to ask for hand outs. The aim of generating our own income is to be able to purchase the things we are unable to make, such as shoes or flour or equipment. We also have to pay rates and taxes on the land.
We plan to use any excess income to grow Wolf Haven. We would like to keep growing till there is a Haven in every one of our 9 provinces and have a network of LGBT people across the country. Our dream is to grow Haven's income by encouraging Ideas to become businesses. We have always wanted to own a business that creates LGBTI products the community needs, LGBTI products that are designed, made and tested by LGBTI people. Many of these products could help the straight community as well and if these type Idea to Business models work, the businesses would employ many people and thus help our country to conquer the current job crisis.
What do we need money for?
EVERYTHING!
Land, Zoning, Building plans, Shipping container buildings, Solar power, Wind power, Hydro power, Battery bank, Water catchment, Tanks and reservoirs, Aquaponic systems, Seeds, Chickens, Goats, Rabbits, Bamboo, Bees, Appliances from manual to electric( fridges, freezers, stoves, ovens, etc), Furniture, Bedding, cutlery and crockery, Clothing, First aid, vehicle, Security fences and gates. We also need, legal counsel and a trained psychologist. All the permits and certifications we would need.
Average Hours for people staying at Wolf Haven
We want to encourage a schedule that will make transition into the working world much easier.
Summer schedule (September- April)
05:00- 06:00 | Wake up, shower, Breakfast |
06:00-10:00 | Work in Greenhouse, Milking room or Maintenance |
10:00-12:00 | Personal time or counsel time with psychologist |
12:00-13:00 | Lunch time |
13:00- 17:00 | Learn or Earn (Learn/ Teach a new skill or Earn some cash online for personal savings) |
17:00- 19:00 | Dinner and Family time |
19:00- 21:00 | Personal time |
21:00 | Lights out |
Winter schedule (May- August)
05:00- 06:00 | Wake up, shower, Breakfast |
06:00- 10:00 | Learn or Earn (Learn/ Teach a new skill or Earn some cash online for personal savings) |
10:00- 12:00 | Work in Greenhouse, Milking room or Maintenance |
12:00- 13:00 | Lunch time |
13:00- 15:00 | Work in Greenhouse, Milking room or Maintenance |
15:00- 17:00 | Personal time or counsel time with psychologist |
17:00- 19:00 | Dinner and Family time |
19:00- 21:00 | Personal time |
21:00 | Lights out |
Please help us with donations of money and or equipment. Please help us with volunteers for the start up phase. We wish to fund this by April first (no this is not an April fools joke), We wish to have Wolf Haven up and running by December 31st 2018. This is a radical and potentially crazy idea that just might change the world, not only for LGBTI people, for everyone.
Please help us to secure a safe future for LGBTI people who face hatred and violence everyday. Please help us to achieve a radical dream of a non-charity, self sustainable, home for LGBTI people. Please help us create a big, supportive LGBTI family.
If we fail to reach our campaign goal, we will use the money to help LGBT people in dire need of some help to survive the next few months whilst they job hunt.
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