KEEP CALM: Angolan Researcher and Scholar Sofonie Dala Awarded Prestigious Chevening Scholarship to Study in the UK

I cannot keep calm, I have been chosen for chevening 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

My name is Sofonie Dala, and today, I stand before you with immense pride and joy. I am thrilled to share that I have been chosen for the Chevening Scholarship, a remarkable achievement that fills me with boundless enthusiasm.

Chevening is not just a scholarship; it is a transformative experience that offers the opportunity to study at prestigious institutions across the UK, develop leadership skills, and foster global connections. This program embodies the spirit of inclusivity and empowerment, aligning seamlessly with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 and 10.

SDG 4, Quality Education, emphasizes the importance of education in driving progress and equality. Chevening epitomizes this goal by providing world-class educational opportunities without discrimination. Regardless of race, disability, religion, gender, or age, Chevening stands as a beacon of hope for those eager to expand their horizons and make a meaningful impact.

Similarly, SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities, advocates for the reduction of disparities within and among countries. Chevening is a testament to this commitment. It offers a platform where diverse voices can be heard and where individuals from various backgrounds can collaborate, innovate, and drive positive change.

Since June, when I learned that my interview was successful, I have passionately advocated for Chevening, sharing my journey with every community I encounter. I have spoken to large audiences, encouraging women and people with disabilities to apply. I have also reached out to the PALOP community—referring to the Portuguese-speaking African countries of Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe—emphasizing the importance of learning English, which opens numerous doors and opportunities.

I am deeply grateful to the Chevening team for their belief in me and for making this opportunity possible. I urge everyone here to consider applying for Chevening. It is not merely a chance to study; it is an invitation to become a leader, to break barriers, and to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable world.

Thank you.

------Read in Portuguese --------

Senhoras e Senhores,

Meu nome é Sofonie Dala, e hoje, eu me apresento diante de vocês com imenso orgulho e alegria. Estou radiante em compartilhar que fui escolhida para a Bolsa Chevening, uma conquista extraordinária que me enche de entusiasmo.

Chevening não é apenas uma bolsa de estudos; é uma experiência transformadora que oferece a oportunidade de estudar em instituições prestigiadas no Reino Unido, desenvolver habilidades de liderança e promover conexões globais. Este programa reflete o espírito de inclusão e empoderamento, alinhando-se perfeitamente com os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) 4 e 10.

O ODS 4, Educação de Qualidade, enfatiza a importância da educação na promoção do progresso e da igualdade. Chevening personifica esse objetivo ao oferecer oportunidades educacionais de classe mundial sem discriminação. Independentemente de raça, deficiência, religião, gênero ou idade, Chevening é um farol de esperança para aqueles que desejam expandir seus horizontes e fazer um impacto significativo.

Da mesma forma, o ODS 10, Reduzir Desigualdades, defende a redução das disparidades dentro e entre os países. Chevening é um testemunho desse compromisso. Oferece uma plataforma onde vozes diversas podem ser ouvidas e onde indivíduos de diferentes origens podem colaborar, inovar e promover mudanças positivas.

Desde junho, quando soube que minha entrevista havia sido bem-sucedida, tenho defendido apaixonadamente o Chevening, compartilhando minha jornada com cada comunidade que encontro. Tenho falado para grandes audiências, incentivando mulheres e pessoas com deficiência a se inscreverem. Também alcancei a comunidade PALOP, que se refere aos Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa (Angola, Moçambique, Cabo Verde, Guiné-Bissau e São Tomé e Príncipe), ressaltando a importância de aprender inglês, que abre inúmeras portas e oportunidades.

Estou profundamente agradecida à equipe do Chevening pela confiança em mim e por tornar essa oportunidade possível. Incentivo todos aqui a considerar se candidatar ao Chevening. Não é apenas uma chance de estudar; é um convite para se tornar um líder, quebrar barreiras e contribuir para um mundo mais inclusivo e equitativo.

Muito obrigada.

Galeria 

Alert: Fraudulent Activities by UNDP Angola and Other Organizations

 Alert: Fraudulent Activities by UNDP Angola and Other Organizations

Dear Community Members, Partners, and Stakeholders,

I am writing to bring to your attention a serious and concerning matter regarding the fraudulent activities of UNDP Angola and other organizations who have been maliciously taking advantage of the hard work and innovative projects developed by my startup, Talentos Multiplus.

It has come to my attention that UNDP Angola has been falsely claiming that I work for them and that they compensate me for my contributions. These claims are entirely untrue and have been used to deceive not only myself but also governmental institutions, international organizations, and potential investors.

In a recent and shocking discovery, an investor whom I met casually at an event informed me that his organization had made a donation to me through representatives of UNDP Angola. To my dismay, I have never received any such donation, nor have I had any formal or informal relationship with UNDP Angola. My startup, Talentos Multiplus, is entirely self-funded, and I am the sole founder, sustaining the organization through my personal savings and dedication.

want to clarify that the only contact we had with UNDP Angola was in 2022 when we participated in a competition funded by the Norwegian Embassy, where UNDP was one of the partners. However, this participation does not mean that we have any legal or continued collaboration with UNDP Angola, and it certainly does not give them the right to fraudulently take advantage of our work. Talentos Multiplus was founded in 2020, and all our projects were fully developed prior to our participation in that competition.

I want to categorically state that I do not work with UNDP Angola and have no affiliations with them. Their fraudulent actions and deceitful behavior have harmed my reputation and the integrity of my work. They have been engaging in content theft and misleading various stakeholders into believing that there is an association between us.

I urge all community members, partners, and stakeholders to be vigilant and cautious in their dealings with UNDP Angola. Please do not trust their claims regarding any association with Talentos Multiplus or myself. They are a harmful team engaging in deceitful practices, and it is essential to distance ourselves from them to protect our work and integrity.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Sincerely,

Protectors, 

Team Talentos Multiplus

Transgender Individuals Shine at the First Edition of Miss Trans Angola 2024

On Tuesday, May 7, 2024, the first edition of the Miss Trans Angola 2024 pageant took place, organized by the Íris Angola Association. 

The event highlighted the beauty and intellect of various transgender women, awarding Soki Gabriel as the winner of the gala. 

For the first time in Angola, in the capital city of Luanda, an event was held to select a transgender woman to represent Angola, celebrating diversity, beauty, and social inclusion for the LGBT community.

More than 10 transgender women were selected, showcasing their talent in the world of art. The event featured a performance by the artist Diana Pantera, who paid tribute to the renowned musical artist Kueno Aionda.

Qatar World Cup Ambassador Says Homosexuality Is ‘Damage In The Mind’

 A Qatar World Cup ambassador has told German television broadcaster ZDF that homosexuality was “damage in the mind”, as the Gulf state prepares to host the global tournament in less than two weeks.

In an interview filmed in Doha and to be screened later on Tuesday, former Qatari international Khalid Salman addressed the issue of homosexuality, which is illegal in the conservative Muslim country.

Some soccer players have raised concerns over the rights of fans travelling to the event, especially LGBT+ individuals and women, whom rights groups say Qatari laws discriminate against.
The country expects more than one million visitors for the World Cup.

“They have to accept our rules here,” Salman said, in an excerpt of the interview. “(Homosexuality) is haram. You know what haram (forbidden) means?,” he said.
When asked why it was haram, Salman said: “I am not a strict Muslim but why is it haram? Because it is damage in the mind.”

The interview was then immediately stopped by an accompanying official. Qatar’s World Cup organisers, when contacted by Reuters, declined to comment.
World soccer’s ruling body FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

Organisers have repeatedly said everyone was welcome in Qatar during the World Cup.
Qatar is the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup but the small nation has come under intense pressure in recent years for its treatment of foreign workers and restrictive social laws.
The country’s human rights record has led to calls for teams and officials to boycott the Nov. 20-Dec. 18 tournament.

Source: Reuters

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Uganda Shuts Down Prominent LGBT Rights Group

Ugandan officials have banned a prominent LGBT rights group in a major setback for the community there.

Sexual Minorities Uganda (Smug) has been ordered to shut down with “immediate effect” for not registering properly with authorities.

The campaign group decried the order as a “clear witch hunt” by the government against LGBT Ugandans.

Sexual minorities face widespread persecution in Uganda, where anti-gay and transphobic views are common.

Gay relationships are illegal in Uganda, where they can be punished by up to life in prison for committing “unnatural offences.”

Official police data shows that 194 people were charged with the offence between 2017 and 2020, including 25 who went on to be convicted.

“This is a clear witch hunt rooted in systematic homophobia, fuelled by anti-gay and anti-gender movements,” said Smug’s director Frank Mugisha, who is a gay Ugandan activist.

He accused authorities of treating members of Uganda’s LGBT minority as second-class citizens and trying to erase their existence completely.

On Friday Ugandan officials announced they were halting Smug’s operations because the campaign group, founded in 2004, had failed to register its name with the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) properly.

It is the same reason given last year when dozens of civil society groups – including pro-democracy organisations – were also banned by Ugandan authorities.

This time officials say that the issue stems from Smug’s name itself – Sexual Minorities Uganda.

In a statement, the NGO Bureau acknowledged that Smug had attempted to register with authorities in 2012, but that the application had been rejected because Smug’s full name was considered “undesirable.”

President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in office since 1986, has made homophobic comments in the past – including in a 2016 CNN interview when he called gay people “disgusting.”

Although there are no laws specifically criminalising being transgender in Uganda, trans people are regularly prosecuted for other offences including “personation” (false representation), according to reports compiled by rights organisations.

Since its establishment almost two decades ago, Smug has campaigned for the rights of LGBT people in Uganda by promoting access to health services and supporting members of the LGBT community to live openly.

It has also taken legal action to protect gay people from hostility, including in 2010 when it successfully petitioned a Ugandan judge to order a newspaper to stop publishing the names and photographs of gay Ugandan men under the headline “hang them”.

The group said several of its members had been attacked or harassed as a result of the article – including one woman who was almost killed when her neighbours began throwing stones at her house.

At the time, Ugandan politicians were preparing to debate whether or not to introduce the death penalty for same-sex relationships – a legislative amendment that attracted widespread international condemnation before eventually being dropped.

More recently, Smug has vocally criticised anti-gay speeches delivered by Ugandan politicians – including in the run-up to national elections in 2021.

“The politicians are using the LGBT community as a scapegoat to gain support and win votes and it is fuelling homophobia,” Smug’s director Frank Mugisha told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

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The grand finale| We are celebrating the successful completion of LGBTQ campaign in Angola, by Sofonie Dala

 Our campaign ''Pride - Embrancing diversity-LGBTQ in Angola'' came to an end!

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the latest webisode of our show!

This analysis focused on whether people around Angola think that homosexuality should be accepted by society or not. The full question wording was, “Angola has decriminalized homosexuality. What's your opinion? 

Today we have a very special guest, she/he belongs to the LGBTQ community in Angola.

My name is Euclides Manuel, I belong to the LGBTQ community.

Can you tell us what your daily life has been like? How do people view you in society?

Thank God my days has been more or less, some people accept me and others don't. But I try to appease so there are no quarrels.

In this way, I ask that people respect me, that people have more love and more empathy for the LGBTQ community.

We are also human and we are people just like you and our right is also the same as yours.

So have more love and more passion for us.

It's all we want.

Thanks!

We interviewed several people of different genders and ages, and carefully analyzed each one's point of view. Very few people say that society should accept homosexuality; specifically 98% of them categorically do not accept homosexuality, other 2% who support the inclusion of the LGBTQ community in society are people who apparently are not rigorous practitioners of religion.

For example, this woman who preferred to speak anonymously was very satisfied with the decision of the Angolan government, for having decriminalized homosexuality in our society.

Hi!

What did Angola do?

Angola has decriminalized homosexuality. What is your point of view?

Well, for me this is even better, it's good.

So, do you agree with the government's decision?

Yeah, if they decided like that, who are we to say no?

This research was enough to realize that there are no significant differences between the opinion of men and women in the capital of Angola. However, of the 6 people interviewed (except the LGBTQ representative), there was a significant difference, women were more likely to approve of homosexuality than men. 

We spoke with 6 ordinary citizens 3 female and 3 male, the study shows the largest divide, with 90% of 2 females saying homosexuality should be accepted by society against 10% of a female who does not accept homosexuality. In the case of boys, 100% of them categorically do not accept homosexuality and they are based on very strict biblical principles.

Religion, both as it relates to the relative importance in people’s lives and actual religious affiliation, also plays a large role in perceptions of the acceptability of homosexuality in many societies across the globe.

In our case study, those who say religion is “somewhat,” “not too” or “not at all” important in their lives are more likely to say that homosexuality should be accepted than those who say religion is “very” important.

Despite major changes in laws and norms surrounding the issue of same-sex marriage and the rights of LGBT people around the world, public opinion on the acceptance of homosexuality in society remains sharply divided by country, region and economic development.

Our campaign came to an end, collecting very important interviews. The end of the program is not the end of the movement, thanks to all who believes and supports our initiative.

Please click the links below to watch all the webisodes.

1. kickoff event - Embracing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. day 1 

2. Embracing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. day 2

3. Embracing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. day 3

4. Embracing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. day 4

We stand for inclusivity. We believe that everyone has the right to a safe and welcoming environment in our society.

Harassment includes but is not limited to offensive verbal or written comments related to gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, social class, economic status, veteran status, sexual images, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

Summary: Be respectful. Harassment and abuse are never tolerated.

The SDGs have a guiding principle that “no one will be left behind” and a commitment to prioritizing the poorest and most marginalized. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 has similar commitments to including and prioritizing the poorest and most marginalized in development efforts. There is wide-spread evidence that sexual and gender minorities are often among the most socially, politically and economically marginalized populations and thus require specific consideration and targeted inclusion to realize the vision of the SDGs. 

We have zero-tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of  race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

The webisodes are being released on this channel:

http://wegotthisangola.blogspot.com/

Stay tuned!