For Stanley Munge, speaking up has never been a choice; it has always been a calling. As a student leader, he witnessed how queer students were denied their right to education and dignity, some unable to sit exams or access basic services.
“I couldn’t stay silent,” he said. “I knew my voice had to count for something.”
In 2022, he joined KYDESA Homeless Youth Initiative, an organization championing the rights of queer youth. There, Stanley became deeply involved in grassroots organizing, working closely with vulnerable groups to ensure no one was left unseen or unheard.
His advocacy reached a turning point in 2024 when he joined the Human Rights Defenders Academy.
“The Academy changed how I approach everything,” he told Defenders Coalition. “Before, I didn’t realize how exposed I was. Now I know how to protect myself physically, digitally, and emotionally.”
The training, he said, gave him the tools to defend both himself and his community more effectively.
Beyond the technical lessons, the Academy also offered healing. “The psychosocial and wellness sessions allowed me to breathe again,” he shared. “It reminded me that strength also means knowing when to take care of yourself.” Surrounded by other defenders, Stanley found solidarity and renewed purpose.
After the Academy, he expanded his impact by joining the Equity Group Foundation, where he supports scholarships for G+ youth and mentors them in leadership, resilience, and education. At the same time, he began a new journey in climate justice, launching a community-based initiative that raises awareness about carbon credits and ecological fairness. Working with local activists, he has reached more than 700 people through forums that promote transparency, equity, and protection of Indigenous and land-dependent communities.
“The road has not been smooth.” Stanley said, adding that he has faced harassment, intimidation, and even arbitrary arrests targeting his organization. Yet, he remains unshaken. “This is what I know best,” he said simply. “Standing for those who have been silenced.”
Today, Stanley is seen as a mentor and a pillar of support for other human rights defenders.
“The HRD Academy positioned me to lead with knowledge, courage, and compassion,” he reflected. “It gave me more than skills, it gave me a network of people who believe, just like I do, in justice for all.”