To Philly from Uganda: ‘Philadelphia is my sweet home’

LGBTQ people in Uganda face discrimination, harassment by the government, and violence. Although it was later changed, a 2013 law threatened life in prison for “aggravated homosexuality,” and it was becoming more dangerous to be in my country, even in the big city of Kampala. I was 28 when I entered the Kakuma refugee camp — a day’s bus ride away — in neighboring Kenya on Nov. 14, 2014.

It wasn’t much better.

Temperatures in the camp reached more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit and there were dust storms. The wind was so strong it would blow the tents down. Some people preferred to sleep outside, but that wasn’t easy — there are a lot of dark things in the desert, including spiders, snakes, and scorpions. Outbreaks of malaria, pneumonia, and cholera did not spare refugees.

As LGBTQ people, we were not supposed to be mixed with other refugees, who also discriminated against us. But instead of putting us somewhere safe, we were placed at the end of the camp, where we would get randomly attacked by people from outside the camp. We provided our own security and took turns standing guard overnight. Still, it wasn’t enough to keep ourselves safe, and some of us lost our lives. They are buried in the desert.

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I lived in the Kakuma refugee camp for four years, during which time a lot of things happened. Whenever I start talking about it, it always ends in tears.

I had put my name on a list to be resettled through the United Nations, but when I first heard that I was going to leave the camp, I didn’t expect much. So many people said they were going to leave the camp, but they didn’t leave. When they took me to Nairobi for my medical examination, that’s when I got excited. “Oh, I’m going to survive,” I thought.

When they told me I was going to Philadelphia, I didn’t know that was in America. Even when you looked at a map of the United States, it wasn’t easy to see Philadelphia. I came here on Feb. 18, 2018, and it took time to get used to it.

When I got here it was cold. The people who welcomed me gave me warm clothes, but I had never worn a jacket or a sweater. I would call and tell them that I couldn’t breathe with these clothes and that I had a terrible headache. They would tell me if I removed my jacket that I was going to get sick. In the Kakuma camp we ate sorghum and yellow peas with water. I came here and started tasting everything. Chicken, eggs — so good — but the change in my diet made me sick. My body had to get used to it.

I have met good people here, including at HIAS Pennsylvania, which helps refugees, and have made my home here.

A home means a lot. It is safer for LGBTQ people here and people are more accepting. Philadelphia is my sweet home.

I did not choose to be in Philadelphia, but because I did not choose it myself, I accept that God chose it for me. He blessed me with Philadelphia.

Brian Bukenya works at Whole Foods in Wynnewood.