Luc,
My name is Lucio and I'm from Paraguay. I'm a gay man living with HIV. I have a chance at a good, long life. So many others here aren't so lucky.
HIV is still seen as the "gay disease" in Paraguay. The violence and stigma around it prevent so many young people from seeking help... oftentimes until it's too late.
When I was first diagnosed, I was terrified. But luckily, a friend told me about an LGBT community centre in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay, where I could get free medical help.
But it offered so much more. In a country where LGBT people have ZERO protections, the centre also gave me a safe community where I could finally be myself.
Now that I'm healthy, I want to help other young people like me. And that's why I'm writing you today. All Out is partnering with the local group SOMOSGAY to help launch a new LGBT community centre in Paraguay to reach even more people in need.
Paraguay is a very conservative country. It's the only country in southern Latin America without any laws to protect the rights of LGBT people. Many LGBT people are thrown out of their homes and abandoned by their families.
Men who have sex with men and transgender people under the age of 35 are among the largest populations affected by HIV here. But our country refuses to acknowledge this epidemic – there are no policies or programmes aimed at prevention, care, or support for these vulnerable communities.
That's why the free help provided by SOMOSGAY is SO important. For many people like myself, it's our only chance at getting better, staying safe, and finding community.
SOMOSGAY wants to launch a new centre in a more remote part of the country, in a town called Villeta, where resources can be even harder to find. With your help, hundreds of LGBT youth and people living with HIV will finally have a safe place to go.
Thanks for going All Out,
Lucio
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