As an internship activity at Munakata Foundation, Thembo gave a presentation about a sexual minority in Uganda to students at Yokohama City University. Thembo was happy to see that the topic seemed to be new to them, and he is in touch with some of them. We are grateful to Ms. Mana Tanaka, a chairperson of Munakata Foundation, for giving him an opportunity to meet young Japanese.

The following is his essay.

----------

As I was working on my interrelationship and making research about the challenges faced by a sex minority group (LGBTQ+) during the covid-19 pandemic. Mana sensei, the director of Munakata Foundation where I was doing my internship, asked me if I could make a presentation about the sex minority in Uganda as it was my research area. I accepted the opportunity since it could allow me to share my experience and knowledge as a Ugandan and, at the same time, interact with other students from a different university.

I made a 15-minute presentation to over 20 students about a brief legal history of sexual minorities in Uganda, cultures that limited gender roles, sex minority's place in the society, challenges during the pandemic, and possible solutions. At the end of the presentations, students were allowed to ask questions which I answered with the support of Mana sensei who could translate some of the questions from Japanese to English and summarise my presentation into Japanese. From the student's reactions, I could see how the situation of the sexual minorities in Uganda was a completely new experience for them and some who got too interested in my presentation contacted me later and we are in touch, Some are planning to visit Africa in the future. It was a pleasure to present my research and learn through knowledge sharing with other students. Thanks to Mana sensei (Munakata Foundation) and Yokohoma City University for the invitation, I'm forever thankful for this opportunity.