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>> I came to South Africa in 2008.
>> I'm from Congo, DRC.
>> I'm from Uganda.
>> I'm from a Central African country called the Democratic Republic of Congo.
>> My life in South Africa is lucky.
I come from different country, I come from Burundi because ...
Cape Town, life for the gay, for the lesbian, for the trans, is better for me.
>> I came to South Africa because in my country they don't allow lesbians and gays.
>> I chose South Africa because I thought it would be easy for me to fit in, due to my *** orientation.
I felt like I would be protected, [more] than being in my own country.
>> South Africa is the best country for me, especially in Africa.
Not even my motherland, where I'm coming from, because I'm running away from there.
>> Asylum-seekers and immigrants who have fled their countries because of the well-founded fear of persecution,
because of their *** orientation, are often faced with discrimination in South Africa
both from homophobic elements but also from xenophobic elements
as well as challenges they face at the refugee reception center, where they're trying to apply for refugee status.
>> The first time when I went to the Department of Home Affairs, we were in the queue.
And then when the Home Affairs refugee officer inside, she read my form, and then she was so confused.
She was like, how, how come you are Congolese and gay?
I was like, do you think it's strange to be Congolese and to be gay?
It was like, no we ... but, in those countries, there are not gay people.
I said, who told you that? [Laughs]
>> We've been able to put pressure consistently on the Department of Home Affairs
to improve its services and assistance to asylum-seekers.
Such that right now, even more than half of asylum-seekers and immigrants in the country are documented.
We held a protest outside the refugee center when we were a new organisation
and overnight they started serving a hundred people instead of 20 people a day.
Which was a 400 per cent increase in the number of people being assisted.
>> PASSOP has done a lot of things in my life.
They've made me activist.
>> I think to speak out, sometimes, is important. You feel happy.
Maybe you can get someone, who can accept, maybe can help you.
>> I'm not speaking for my own self, but I'm there to represent thousands and thousands of people like me ...
their voice to be heard.
>> My dream is to one day, to go back to my country, and to be accepted as who I am.
What I need you to see in me is that I am a normal person, I can contribute to a lot, to develop this world.
I am your brother, I am your uncle, but treat me as a human being.
Consider me as you consider yourself.