MBABANE: The Obama Foundation has recognized Melusi Simelane for advocating and fighting for the LGBTQ rights in Swaziland.
Melusi is the Founding Director of Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM) an organization for Lesbian,Gay Bisexual and Transgender community ( LGBTQ) that advocates for the acceptance and legal rights across communities and in the region.
In a statement released on Friday, the Obama Foundation said Simelane was one of its scholars from Columbia University, where he was building lasting relationships among other emerging leaders who are committed into solving pressing problems faced by societies.
"At ESGM, Melusi and his team are advocating for the acceptance and legal rights of the LGBTQ community across Southern Africa. With membership close to 250 LGBTQ individuals and allies, they are also building intersectional human rights coalitions to empower young leaders on the ground", reads the statement in part.
Speaking during the World’s Human Rights Day event organized by the ESGM at the Bethel Court in Ezulwini on Friday, Simelane said it was necessary that as a nation we reformed our hearts towards the LGBTQ community.
“The LGBTQ community is deprived basic rights which are food,shelter ,education an enabling environment that will help them grow, it is very necessary that we reform our hearts and our minds towards the LGBTQ as a nation",said the ESGM Founding Director.
LGTBQ Gender activist Melusi Simelane.