Winners of the Thomson Reuters Foundation Innovation Award 2017

On 26th September Micro Rainbow was the winner of the prestigious TrustLaw award for innovation
Thomson Reuters Foundation Innovation Award 2017

We are thrilled to announce that on 26th September 2017, Micro Rainbow won the Innovation Award at the 2017 TrustLaw Awards for its work in creating the “first LGBTQI safe house in the UK”.

The Innovation Award recognises Micro Rainbow’s work with the international law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges which supported Micro Rainbow with a variety of legal advice including tax, property and much more.

Through the pro bono legal assistance provided by Weil, Micro Rainbow was able to qualify for Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR), a tax incentive which enables qualifying individuals to receive 30% tax relief on their investment. Pro-bono assistance was facilitated by TrustLaw, a Thomson Reuters Foundation programme that helps NGOs and social enterprises from around the world access high-quality legal support.

The temporary accommodation will support Micro Rainbow’s existing social inclusion activities targeted at the integration of LGBTQI refugees, including peer support groups, and life skills and employability workshops.

The first safe house has already opened its doors and the first LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees have moved in. Micro Rainbow is already working on a second safe house which should open in the autumn.

For more information on the project please also read “First safe house for LGBTQI refugees” and “LGBTQI rights social enterprise triumphs at TrustLaw Awards”.

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