zsolomon

Zachary Solomon


group of people posing outside

Guardians of Zoka: Inside the Fight to Save a Ugandan Rainforest

In the Adjumani district of Northern Uganda stands the Zoka Forest Reserve, one of the country’s magnificent rainforests. Its canopy provides shade to an extraordinarily biodiverse population. Rare butterflies, flying squirrels, primates, old-growth mahogany trees and hundreds of plant species make Zoka a place worth protecting at all costs. And to the native communities who …

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six people sitting around a table together

Fighting for — and winning — protection under the law: Landmark progress for LGBTQI+ Kenyans

In June 2019, Shieys Chepkosgei was arrested in Eldoret, Kenya, and charged with impersonating a woman. During her detention, police and prison officials subjected Chepkosgei to a battery of unlawful and invasive tests and examinations, all while ruthlessly mocking her identity as a trans woman. Chepkosgei refused to accept this abuse without fighting back. Upon …

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three women posing outside and smiling

The Stakes are High in the Pan-African Fight for Safe Abortions

In Kenya, just talking openly about abortion can be dangerous. But for the activists with AJWS grantee partner Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health (TICAH), the risk is necessary. TICAH ensures that women and girls have the knowledge and resources they need to make informed choices about their reproductive health, which also involves advocating for …

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