One year after launching Fatteh, Founder and Editor-in-Chief Beza Lealem reflects on what we’ve achieved, what we’ve learned, and why independent LGBTQ+ journalism across Africa matters more than ever.
By Beza Lealem
One year ago, Fatteh published its first story.
At the time, we didn’t know exactly what the year ahead would bring. We only knew that LGBTQ+ communities across Africa deserved a platform dedicated to telling our stories with honesty, dignity and care.
Too often, our lives appear in the news only during moments of crisis. We wanted to build something different: a publication that documents not only discrimination and injustice, but also resilience, creativity, leadership, culture and hope.
Over the past year, that vision has become reality. We’ve reported on developments affecting LGBTQ+ communities across Africa, published interviews with activists, artists and community leaders, celebrated defenders of equality, launched regular features including our Africa Update and Defender of the Month series, and expanded our coverage beyond the continent by reporting from the WorldPride Human Rights Conference in Amsterdam.
Every story has been guided by the same belief: our communities deserve journalism that reflects the full complexity of our lives.
None of this has been easy. Fatteh has been built almost entirely through our own commitment and personal resources. Every article, interview, translation, photograph, social media post and late-night editing session has been driven by a belief that these stories deserve to exist.
Despite limited resources, we’ve continued to publish because visibility matters. Documentation matters. Independent journalism matters.
Fatteh exists because contributors trusted us with their work. Readers returned, shared our stories and encouraged us to keep going. To everyone who has been part of this journey, thank you.
As we enter our second year, our ambition remains the same, but our hopes are bigger.
We want to publish more original reporting from across Africa, commission more writers and photographers, strengthen our bilingual coverage, develop new multimedia storytelling, and continue creating a platform that informs, inspires and connects LGBTQ+ communities across the continent.
To do that, we need your support. If you believe independent LGBTQ+ journalism has a place in Africa, we invite you to help us continue this work.
Your contribution will help us:
- Commission more original reporting.
- Pay writers, photographers and translators fairly.
- Expand bilingual coverage in English and Amharic.
- Keep Fatteh free and accessible.
- Reach more readers across Africa and beyond.
Whether you choose to donate, share our work, recommend us to others or simply continue reading, you’re helping ensure these stories continue to be told.
The first year has shown us what’s possible. The second year begins now.
Thank you for being part of the journey.