When the Ugandan government approved into law a new version of the 2014 anti-LGBTQI bill in 2023, FUST went through some changes. Originally our focus was on supporting Ugandan ‘conductors’ who transported those in danger out of the country. (Click here to see our history as Friends Ugandan Safe Transport Fund.)

Our friends in Uganda who have been doing the work we support had to figure out how serve the community in light of the new reality. Since it is no longer safe to transport LGBTQI Ugandans, two new programs have been developed to help safely shelter and train unskilled LGBTQI folks. The goal is to provide literacy and vocational/educational skills training which will allow them to remain in Uganda and find jobs that will allow them to be self-supporting. This requires that they keep their gender identity and sexual orientation under cover, which many have been doing with some success.

Olympia Friends Meeting passed an amendment to the April 13, 2014 Olympia Friends Meeting (Quakers) Minute to reflect the change which included a name change  to Friends Ugandan Skills Training Fund (FUST) along with this new domain: friendsugandanskillstraining.org.

The skills training program includes a focus on things such as carpentry, coding, cosmatology and tailoring, and as needed literacy, math, and potentially some other skills.

FUST’s goal is (as before) providing financial support to the Ugandans who are running the program.

Please support Friends Ugandan Skills Training Fund

To make a donation with a credit or debit card through PayPal:

Or send a check made out to “Olympia Friends Meeting.” Be sure to put  “FUST” in the memo line.

Send to:

Olympia Friends Meeting
3201 Boston Harbor Road NE
Olympia, WA 98506-2800

Note:  Contributions to Friends Ugandan Skills Training Fund through Olympia Monthly Meeting (Olympia Friends Meeting) are tax-deductible.  Olympia Monthly Meeting is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.  Cash and non-cash contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent of applicable law. 

Our Employer Identification Number (EIN) is: 94-3145171.
Our registered name is: Olympia Monthly Meeting Of The N Paci Yly Metg Of Religious Soc Frn.