Tsano, creating safe spaces for intersex and transgender persons in Zimbabwe
10-12-2024
Tsano is an HIV/AIDS activist and transgender and intersex rights defender from Zimbabwe. As the director of Trans Smart Trust, an organization dedicated to the support of transgender and intersex people in Zimbabwe, Tsano creates safe spaces for transgender and intersex people to access shelter, information, and resources to support them.
Shaping an inclusive and accessible world
They focus on educating the general public as well as local communities, churches, and traditional chiefs on gender identity and expression. They work to gain easier and safer access to medical care for transgender and intersex people, especially those who are HIV positive. As someone who has been living with HIV for the past 22 years, they are a fierce advocate for accessible healthcare. They also emphasize the mental wellbeing of transgender and intersex people, using community-based activities, such as gardening or textiles and crafts as therapy. Additionally, Tsano is determined that transgender and intersex youth are able to access secondary education and raises money to send them to school every year.
Tsano delves more into their cause in a documentary by Shelter City Utrecht partner, PBI Nederland, and gives insights into the life as a defender of transgender and intersex individuals, as well as people who live with HIV.
We thank Tsano for being a resilient figure in intersex and transgender rights advocacy and for their impactful work towards a society that does not exclude anyone.
In late 2024, Tsano was a guest at Shelter City Utrecht. During their stay in the Netherlands, Tsano expanded their network with international organizations to gain valuable insight and connections in order to support their own work. They also built a community of friendly faces, joining local events, and got to know the city.
