Biography:
Cleopatra Kambugu Kentaro is a Ugandan transgender woman and human rights activist, dedicated to advocating for equality and social justice, with a particular focus on sex workers and gender non-conforming communities. Her impactful advocacy work has earned her recognition and she was prominently featured in the 2016 award-winning documentary The Pearl of Africa.
Growing up in Bakuli, a suburb on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, Cleopatra experienced numerous challenges and hardships as she navigated her transition into a transgender girl. The stigma surrounding gender nonconformity in Africa is prevalent and notable, with the absence of the word transgender in the local Ugandan language, Luganda. Due to this stigma and discrimination, many transgender individuals in Uganda are subjected to abuse and abandonment, often by their own families, leading to the existence of an underground transgender community.
Cleopatra pursued higher education at Makerere University Kampala College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, specializing in crop pathology, biotechnology, and genetics. Her educational background forms a unique foundation for her activism in advocating for open discussions on gender and sexuality.
Currently, Cleopatra holds the position of Director of Programmes for the East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative (UHAI EASHRI), an organization dedicated to supporting the sexual health and human rights of marginalized communities. Her commitment to the cause has allowed her to rise from her initial role as Programmes Assistant to becoming the Grant Administrator, significantly expanding the organization’s grant-making capacity since joining.
As an activist and philanthropist, Cleopatra is also an esteemed member of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation’s activist advisory board. Through her involvement, she brings valuable perspectives and insights to support the foundation’s work.
Furthermore, Cleopatra is a program officer with the Trans Support Initiative Uganda (TSIU), an organization tirelessly advocating for social justice for transgender, intersex, and gender non-conforming individuals. The TSIU faces significant challenges due to the prevailing stigma surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community in Uganda, resulting in limited membership. In 2013, the organization had only 45 active members.
Building on her academic achievements, Cleopatra attained a Masters of Science degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the Makerere University College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity. She has been involved in various projects with the National Biotechnology Centre and the National Agricultural Crop Resources Research Institute, primarily focusing on the molecular biology of the East African Highland Banana and cassava. Her research work aims to alleviate poverty and famine by utilizing biotechnology in agricultural practices.
Cleopatra’s advocacy extends beyond academia and research. She strives to break down the stigma surrounding LGBT rights in East Africa, recognizing the unique challenges faced in this region. In a 2016 interview with Huck magazine, Cleopatra emphasized the difficulty of discussing and addressing issues of sexuality, as it is a topic often avoided in African societies. Her tireless efforts in raising awareness and fighting for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have made a significant impact on society.
Throughout her life, Cleopatra Kambugu Kentaro has faced adversity head-on while championing the cause of equality and social justice for marginalized communities. Her immense courage, determination, and unwavering commitment to advocate for the rights of transgender individuals and the LGBTQIA+ community make her an inspiring figure in women’s history.