Ice breakers Uganda started in 2004, after deriving the idea from Ice Breakers Manchester. I developed the idea of starting this support group as way to protect and support homosexual orientation in Uganda after fully accepting my self as a homosexual man at the age of 12 from several years of struggling with my sexual orientation. We started as a few friends,mostly close friends  we used to meet in our homes , pubs and talk about several issues concerning our sexual orientation which  also included how to meet and  discuss reproductive health and sexual rights issues, looking at the different health problems that surrounded anal sex, we decided to pass on the little health information we had gathered to others. After several discussions we started a support group which later become Icebreakers Uganda.

The idea of starting this LGBTI group was given momentum when I searched Google and I found out that there was an organization called Ice Breakers Manchester, when I contacted one of its members . He gave me moral support and courage to carry on the with the idea. This came in reality after hearing the desperate pleas by the LGBTI community in Uganda. And now with the Support that Ice breakers Manchester offered, we decided to start Ice breakers Uganda. Further more the coalition with Sexual Minorities Uganda has broadened our activities as Human rights defenders and to understand more how to deal with LGBTI work – I credit Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) – with acknowledgment let me thank  Victor .J. Mukasa Former Chairperson SMUG for the support, passion and unity towards the Ugandan LGBTI community also the member organizations for the support, thank you – Freedom and Roam Uganda (Far Uganda) , Spectrum Initiative Uganda and Integrity Uganda.

Salute all the International friends and supporters, Behind the Mask , Center for Development Malawi, Lesbian and Gay foundation Manchester , Ishtar Kenya. Hivos and Astraea Lesbian foundation and of course our mother Icebreakers Manchester.

This message is by:

Frank Mugisha

President and Founding member - Icebreakers Uganda