Melanie Nathan Reporting: January 25 , 2010 – by Melanie Nathan. The people in Uganda to cntact and target is the UEPB, a public trade promotion organization which operates under the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry in Uganda was established by Parliamentary Statute. The Board  consists of the very politicians who will be deciding that being gay or lesbian in Uganda is a crime; which will carry a 20 year sentence.  UEPB has a 12-member Board of Directors half of who including the Chairman are from the private sector. The Board is constituted as follows: - 
 
Picture : Hon. Henry Bagiire, the State Minister for Agriculture

a)Chairman-Private Sector
b) one representative of Uganda Manufacturers Association-Private Sector
c) one representative from Uganda National Chamber of Commerce-Private Sector
d) one representative of Uganda National Farmers’ Association- Private Sector
e/f) two representatives of Exporters Associations- Private Sector
g) one representative of Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry- Public Sector
h) one representative of Ministry of Finance.- Public Sector
i) one representative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Public Sector
j) one representative of Ministry of Agriculture- Public Sector
e) one representative of Uganda Investment Authority- Public Sector
f) the Executive Director, Uganda Export Promotion Board – Public Sector

UEPB carries out its mandate “to facilitate the development, diversification, promotion and co-ordination of all export related activities that lead to export growth on a sustainable basis, ” be sure to inform Ugandans  that we will isolate them from the rest of the World if they fail to completely withdraw the Gay Kill Bill. You can see  their government is intricately connected to their trade, and so we must hit where it counts.

    UEPB: Exporters First Stop Center

“While Arabica was introduced at the beginning of the 1900’s, Robusta coffee is indigenous to the country, and has been a part of Ugandan life for centuries. The variety of wild Robustacoffee still growing today in Uganda’s rain forests are thought to be some of the rarest examples of naturally occurring coffee trees anywhere in the world. The coffee trees are inter cropped with traditional food crops and grown in the shade of banana trees and other shade trees. In these self-sustaining conditions, coffee is left to grow naturally, flowering on average twice a year.

Uganda has the unfortunate circumstance of being landlocked, and needing good relations with its neighbors to move its coffee crop to a port city. Transportation bottlenecks can result in containers of full of steaming coffee beans stuck on the back of a truck or a dock somewhere …not good for quality! But in recent years the problems of unstable East African politics and weak infrastructure seem to be improving, judging from the excellent quality coffee coming from the Northern Bugisu region along the Kenya border. Good marks are the Mbale Bugisu Coffee Factory and the Budadiri Coffee Factory -names of the mills where the coffee are prepared. Good Ugandan coffees are both unique among East African coffees and of intense character. Germany has been a strong buyer of Ugandas arabica crop but two years ago the outrageous Java prices resulted in numerous containers appearing in the US as a Java substitute.

Coffees from politically unstable regions, especially East Africa and the 10-year civil war in Uganda, bring up ethical issues. But the plain fact is this: coffee is a cash crop. It is grown by 300,000 small-holder farmers in Uganda. It is 95% of the Ugandan exports and 2,800,000 people rely on it for a living! Most production is Robusta, and the prices they get are low. Arabica farming is more work, but the rewards are greater! Quality in coffee is a way to break pay farmers better. Here you have the opportunity to buy the best of Ugandan coffee… “

 Dear Ugandan Exporter ,  

We treat all Ugandans as one!  Until you work as a community to rid yourselves of the pre-genocide attacks on the LGBT community in your country of 32 Million people, we plan to boycott your trade. we will not do any of the following: 

Attend your buyer seller meets   regardless of where; attend in-bound and out-bound trade missions; participate in contact promotion programmes; support you in participation of Ugandan exporters in relevant local, regional and international trade fairs and exhibitions; utilize your expert industry counselling;  and forget those presentations at international export promotion workshops, seminars and conferences cause we wont be there! and most of all WE WILL NOT BUY YOUR COFFEE -

We at Lezgetreal support the gays and homosexuals and lesbians in Uganda; it is not a crime to be a homosexual or lesbian in our world, but we are not welcome to yours.  (LGBTQI) Your attempts to criminalize homosexualitydefies all understanding, as it is clear that it emanates from nowhere other than biblical teaching of the likes of sickos like Scott Livelly, et al.  If you choose to be a Church State, then make that announcement openly and give people who do not believe in what your State stands for, an opportunity to leave Uganda, before you criminalize them. 

That said, without much ado, we will not tolerate this kind of persecution from any country.  We are going to boycott your country.  You economy has grown and you are improving your poverty. I hope you do not choose to force your Country into poverty yet again.  You must get rid of the hate Gay Bill.  Completely.  Regardless we are starting the boycotts immediately. 

If you enact this law, then many people from foreign countries dare not come to Ugandan, for example what if a political trade envoy is gay?   If he comes to your land, he is a criminal.  Why would any corporation want to support your country.  You are asking to be kicked out of the World economy and we are ready to oblige. So here goes America…. Write to the following Companies and tell them what we plan to do. This will go viral and millions of people will see this as well as the US Congress.

In Solidarity,

So  my dear queer community lets start the ball rolling. The Ugandan people need letters from you – here is a start – be polite please do not put yourself in a bad light and tell them why its not okay to criminalize gays. Tell then your story and about your life.  Lets see if with a nice letter and a big fat boycott if we can change the hearts and minds of Ugandans . remember they have been told we are the devil.

Also another Article written by Melanie Nathan on the impending http://lezgetreal.com/?p=25370  Million Person March In Uganda scheduled for Feb 17th, 2010;

1 . Kawacom (U) Ltd
    m284 Ntinda
    P. O. Box 22623 Kampala, Uganda
    Tel: + 256 31 260201
    Email: rlugone@ecomtrading.com

2  Olam Uganda Ltd
    7/9/ Mapera Rd Nalukolongo, Kampala
    P.O. Box 23436 Kampala, Uganda
    Tel: + 256 41 271440/271418
    Email: niraj@olamnet.com

3. Ibero (U) Ltd
    44/50 7th Street, Kampala
    P.O. Box 23139 Kampala, Uganda
    Tel: +256 41 342621/31 261464
    Email: traffic@ibero.co.ug

4. Kyagalanyi Coffee Ltd
    1/2/3 5th Street, Kampala
    P.O.Box 3181 Kampala, Uganda
    Tel: + 256 41 344021/251447
    Email: kcl@kyagalanyi.com  

5. Mbale Importers and Exporters Ltd
    27/29 Pamba Rd, Mbale
    P.O Box 264 Mbale, Uganda
    Tel: +256 75 725400
    Email: mbaleimpex@utlonline.co.ug  

6. Pan Afric Impex (U) Ltd
    62 Bombo Rd, Kawempe, Kampala
    P. O. Box 7257 Kampala
    Tel:  + 256 41 567847
    Email: panafricimpex@utlonline.co.ug  

7. Kamapala Domestic store Ltd
    9 3rd Street, Kampala
    P.O. Box 30532 Kampala, Uganda
    Tel: +256 41 235597
    Email: kds@infocom.co.ug

8. Great Lakes Coffee Company Ltd
    M289 Ntinda, Kampala
    P.O.Box 27198 Kampala, Uganda
    Tel: +256 41 286961
    Email: glc@imul.com

9. Ugacof Ltd
    246 Bweyogerere, Kampala  
    P.O Box 7355 Kampala, Uganda
    Tel: + 256 41 286290/286288
    Email: fbe@ugacof.com

10. Sitanida Agencies Ltd
      14 william street, Kirumira Towers, Kampala
       P.O. Box 27544 Kampala, Uganda
       Tel: + 256 41 255913  
        Email: sitanida@africaonline.co.ug  

11.Wabulungu Mult-purpose Estates
    508 Bombo Rd, Kawempe, Kampala
    P.O. Box 27544 Kampala, Uganda
    Tel: +256 41 254485

12. MTL Main Traders Ltd
      46 Palisa Rd, Mbale
      P.O. Box 6217 Mbale
      Tel: +256 45 36377/41 256426
      Emal: lawrence.mwaka@mtluganda.com

13. Job Coffee Ltd
     103 3rd Street, Kampala
      P.O. Box 4152 Kampala Uganda
      Tel: + 256 41 255914
      Email: jobcoffee@infocom.co.ug

14. Union Export Services Ltd
      103 3rd Street Kampala
      P.O. Box 7455 Kampala, Uganda
      Tel: + 256 41 258778
      Email: unex@starcom.co.ug

15. Bakwanye Trading Co. Ltd
      13/15 3rd Street, Kasese
      P.O. Box 240 Kasese, Uganda
      Tel: 256 483 44068/44007
        Email: cobwa@yahoo.com

16. Gumutindo Coffee Coop Enterprise Ltd
      46 Palisa Rd, Mbale
      P.O. Box 283 Mbale, Uganda
     Tel: +256 45 34415/772 927942
     Email: mutindo@Infocom.co.ug

17. Simba Cafe East African Ltd
      M466 Ntinda, Kampala
      P.O. Box 26926 Kampala, Uganda
      Tel: +41 285866
      Email: branton@wananchi.com

18. Lakeland Holdings Ltd
      9 3rd Street, Kamapala
      P.O. Box 29129 Kamapala, Uganda
      Tel: 256 41 345120
      Email: lakelandholdingsltd@yahoo.com

By Melanie Nathan, custody2008@gmail.com

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AT&T is a U.S. tele-communications company that is also a founding sponsor of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

If you are looking for new home phone or mobile service, internet or even DirecTV then AT&T might be an option for you. For residential services, small business or even enterprise solutions you can find what you need at www.att.com. Bundles pricing is available when you sign up for more than one of their services which is a good thing for people like me who use technology to keep in touch with family and friends.

Knowing that AT&T is a member of the NGLCC just sweetens the deal.

If you are in the market for a new telecom package, visit the AT&T website today and see if they have what you are looking for.

If you are in the market for life insurance, you’ll be happy to know there is an insurance company out there who is gay-friendly!

This company is EQUOTE, and they are a life insurance carrier doing things different.

Here is a statement from their website to show you what I mean…

EQUOTE has higher aspirations than to simply serve as a vehicle through which to search for low-cost term life insurance. Instead, EQUOTE has a goal that revolves around completely and thoroughly educating consumers and customers alike so that they may make their own informed decisions regarding life insurance and long term care, rather than being forced to make these decisions without the research and understanding necessary to do so.

…The people behind EQUOTE are heavily family oriented, and believe strongly in the principles behind having good life insurance as a means of keeping your family protected and ensuring their safety for many years to come.

Conveniently, you can order term life insurance right from the eQuote.com website, as there is no medical exam involved.

This means that you don’t have to have somebody come to your house and possibly question your lifestyle. You can also list anyone you like as the beneficiary to your policy without having to explain your relationship to a stranger. EQUOTE offers other products such as long term care packages and annuities as well.

Like I mentioned, this company is gay-friendly; there are EQUOTE employees with relatives within the LGBT community, and the company has this statement on their website:

EQUOTE truly does exist only to serve the individual needs of every single customer, no matter what those needs are or what it takes to meet them.

So, that being said, if you are looking for a new life insurance carrier or have been thinking about getting a life insurance policy, try www.eQuote.com and know that your premiums are going to be gay friendly.

I am thinking about spending my Pink Money here – there’s no medical so it’s a no brainer – I’ll skip the painful blood test thanks!

I will let you know how that goes… stay well!

Julie Phineas is a work at home mom of 2 who lives in Southern California. You can find out more about her by visiting her page on MySpace.

GayWallet.com is a social network for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people, queer folks and straight people who are committed to supporting companies and organizations that support the LGBTQ community.

This is a website that offers you a chance to connect with LGBT business owners, discuss issues that affect your gay wallet, and talk with others about where to spend your pink money. GayWallet.com has discussion groups, a member forum, and social networking features such as member profiles, photos and video uploading.

One very important feature of this community is that you can find a list called the Who’s Who which features Fortune 500 companies where you can spend your money as a member of the LGBT community and feel comfortable that it is going to a good place. Each company on the Who’s Who at GayWallet.com includes sexual orientation and gender identification in the company’s equal employment opportunity policy and provides domestic partner health benefits for same-sex couples.

Be sure to visit GayWallet.com and sign up as a member to gain access to their message board and discussion groups. There are groups for each state if you are in the U.S. so be sure to join the group for your state is especially if you have a gay or lesbian owned business.

With all that the U.S. economy is putting us through, it’s easy to be a little gun-shy about choosing a bank to put your money into.

Watching my 401K and children’s college funds dwindle away this past year has kept me from putting anything away and honestly I felt like I should just pull my money out. Finding safer places to keep my money became a priority and I was pleasantly surprised to find that Wells Fargo is a bank that has become a member of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. There are many Wells Fargo branches spread throughout Southern California and the rest of the United States and if you are looking for a bank to save your pink money, I suggest you consider WF.

Wells Fargo has in fact partnered with the NGLCC to bring the LGBT community a special home mortgage program that you can take a look at here.

They can help with home-buying and refinancing your mortgage, or just give you the home mortgage information you have been looking for. NGLCC members receive special member benefits when they establish their mortgage with Wells Fargo, so if you are looking to take that leap into buying a home, or are just looking for a safe place to save your money; consider WF and keep your pink money in the family.

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Bristol Farms is an upscale grocery store chain that is also a member of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

The 17 Bristol Farms locations are spread throughout Southern California and one is in San Francisco. The store is really high end, so you might not be aware of the chain of stores if you are not in the area of one. The first store happens to have been opened up in Rolling Hills which is about 10 minutes away from my house so I am a big fan of Bristol Farms. My wife and I have a lot of good memories spending time shopping at Bristol Farms while we were dating.

Now that I know they are gay friendly it makes me that much more happy to spend my Pink Money with them!

You’ll find a lot of speciality items… tasty exotic fruits and vegetables, perfectly paired cheeses and wine, upscale beverages and deli foods, and lots of healthy and/or natural items for your grocery basket at Bristol Farms. If you are in Southern California you can find a Bristol Farms location near you on their website at BristolFarms.com.

Julie Phineas is a work at home mom of 2 who lives in Southern California. You can find out more about her by visiting her page on MySpace.

From time to time you’ll see me post what I am calling a ‘Pink Money Post’.

The reason I am doing this is for those of us in the LGBT community to become familiar with businesses that support us. For my first Pink Money Post I am bringing you a Whopper! Literally. Burger King is a global fast food chain popular for their flame broiled patties and their promise to ‘Make it YOUR Way’. Burger King is the home of the Whopper, which is a burger fixed with all the trimmings. This fast food chain is also a member of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce! I suggest if you are out and about and need a quick bite to eat, look out for a Burger King sign!

As a lesbian mom I can appreciate BK, because they always have toys in their kids meals that my kids think are popular.

Aside from their main website, they also have ClubBk.com for the kiddos too, and they promote well-balanced meals along with an active lifestyle for all children. Burger King offers a value menu where you can order value priced items including my favorite, the Whopper Jr. My children used to love to play in the play area at the Burger King here in Carson, but ever since it moved we have been a bit sad. However, knowing that BK is a member of the NGLCC gives me a good reason to seek one out, and hopefully you will too. )

Julie Phineas is a work at home mom of 2 who lives in Southern California. You can find out more about her by visiting her page on MySpace.