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2Lead Fellow Reimagining Justice for Trans Communities in Uganda

Queen Rihanna is a proud trans woman, feminist, and human rights advocate whose life’s work stands at the intersection of resistance, healing, and transformation. As the Executive Director of Initiative for Rescue Uganda, she leads with both courage and compassion, challenging systemic discrimination while offering lifelines of support to transgender and gender-diverse people, especially those who have been incarcerated or marginalised by the justice system.

Her activism is not just rooted in advocacy; it is grounded in action. Through her leadership, Initiative for Rescue Uganda provides legal aid, psychosocial support, reintegration services, and safe spaces for trans people inside and outside prison walls. Rihanna is among the few leaders in Uganda who have boldly built an ecosystem of care for those society chooses not to see.

Queen Rihanna’s journey with the TNU 2Lead Fellowship marked a turning point in her activism. Before the fellowship, she was already advocating fiercely, but often in isolation, navigating burnout and the harsh realities of working in a criminalised environment.

On the fellowship, she says, “it affirmed that trans and gender-diverse leaders deserve to be at the forefront of change, not just as beneficiaries, but as visionaries.”

Through 2Lead, she gained confidence in her leadership and advocacy voice, developed skills in strategic planning, systems thinking, and policy influence, and established a network of peers who offered solidarity, mentorship, and a shared purpose. This experience helped her shift from survival-driven activism to transformative leadership.

One of the most impactful outcomes of Rihanna’s fellowship journey was the redesign of the Prison Outreach and Legal Aid Program.

Rather than solely responding to emergencies, she envisioned a sustainable model of change, introducing paralegal training for formerly incarcerated trans persons, transforming them into peer advocates who now support others navigating police stations, prisons, and the courts, creating a community feedback and case-tracking system to improve legal interventions and accountability, and supporting the successful release and reintegration of unjustly detained trans individuals. This model not only protects rights but restores dignity.

Rihanna’s dream is a Uganda where trans voices are not simply included, but centred in justice, healthcare, and governance.

She envisions a network of safe houses, legal clinics, and community centres led by trans people, A generation of trans youth who can dream freely, without fear of violence or imprisonment, and policies and justice systems shaped by those most affected, not by those in power.

Through Initiative for Rescue Uganda, she plans to expand services nationally and regionally, while nurturing future leaders just as the fellowship nurtured her.

Queen Rihanna’s story, unlike so many stories, is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about position; it is about purpose. It is about turning pain into policy, fear into resilience, and invisibility into agency.

Her journey, like that of many grassroots leaders, is a testimony to what happens when trans communities are trusted with the power to lead their own lives, their own movements, and their own futures.

 

2LEAD Program Fellow Championing Trans Health in Uganda

Dr. Hirya Nahiranda is a medical doctor, and passionate advocate for inclusive health and gender-affirming care. His professional and personal journeys are deeply intertwined, each fueling the other in his mission to create safe, affirming spaces for queer and trans communities in Uganda.

Currently, he serves at Ark Wellness Hub, a queer-focused clinic that primarily serves men who have sex with men (MSM), while also providing care for a growing number of trans clients — many of whom he connects with through personal networks. His work spans general medical care, STI management, HIV prevention, and guidance on gender-affirming health, where possible within the current legal framework.

Outside the clinic, he extends his work into community education, participating in podcasts, facilitating in-person sessions, and sharing practical medical information alongside his lived experience as a trans man. These platforms have allowed him to challenge stigma, spark meaningful conversations, and bridge the gap between medical knowledge and the everyday realities of queer and trans people.

In his remarks, he says,

“My trans journey has been both the compass and the fuel for his career. Growing up, my difference was visible and often became the subject of gossip, bias, and doubt. Even in school leadership roles, my abilities were questioned not because of my competence, but because of how I looked. These experiences chipped away at my confidence, even as I kept pushing forward.

Working within Uganda’s restrictive legal environment has brought its own set of challenges. It has, at times, limited how much I could fully practice gender-affirming care beyond my personal journey. But joining the TNU 2Lead Fellowship marked a turning point. It deepened my understanding of legal realities, equipping me with strategies to work safely within them while still advocating for my community.

More importantly, 2LEAD has been a space of renewal; restoring my confidence, reconnecting me with my power, and surrounding me with a network of gender-diverse leaders. The human connections, including a close friendship formed with a fellow participant, have been deeply healing and inspiring.”

Today, Dr Hirya carries a renewed clarity. For every client he sees, every conversation he starts, and every class he teaches is a step toward the future he believes in; a future where trans and queer people have the care, dignity, and respect they deserve.