south africa considered a better place for africa’s transgendered

By Jean-Luc 
 

July 13, 2006: After being deported from Kenya to her native country of Burundi for being transgendered, life became very difficult for 31 year old Alexandra Kwizera. She experienced discrimination from people of her own country. She had fingers pointed at her every time she took public transport and when she couldn’t take it anymore, she decided to leave her country to seek refuge in South Africa.

“In Burundi I wasn’t free; I couldn’t even take the public transport. I was insulted wherever I went, I was stressed and traumatized, I was sick and tired of hearing people asking me if I am a man or a woman. I also could have been arrested at anytime because homosexuality is illegal in Burundi. That’s why I ran away from my country,” said Alexandra.  

Knowing that South Africa is the only country in Africa where gay rights are protected, Alex who has worked in Both Burundi and Nairobi as a model, came to the country. “I chose to go to South Africa and my instincts were correct because at the moment I feel so relieved after a long time of stress,” she continued.

After she arrived in Cape Town in May 2006, Alexandra struggled to get a residence permit. It was only after some time that she met someone who told her about Gender DynamiX, a non profit organization that caters to the needs of transgendered people.  

Having visited the organization, Liesl Theron, CEO of Gender DynamiX, helped ‘Alex’ to get her three months temporary permit from the Department of Home Affairs and gave her clothing. “I hugely thank Liesel Theron and Gender DynamiX for what they are doing for me .They are showing me love, how to respect myself and love myself. Now I can feel free and feel loved again, I really feel relieved after a long time of trauma.” said Alexandra.

Alexandra had been arrested in Kenya while she was in a restaurant in Nairobi last year for looking “suspicious”. While she was in Nairobi’s jail she heard about the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) through her lawyer Duncan Mwanyumba.  Cary Alan Johnson, IGLHRC’s Senior Coordinator for Africa had helped Alexandra mentally and encouraged her when she was arrested and lost all her things.

It has taken Alexandra only three months to settle and feel at home in South Africa. Although she is unemployed at present she is hoping to make it big in the modeling industry one day.