Albinism is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes due to absence or defect of tyrosinase, a copper-containing enzyme involved in the production of melanin. It is the opposite of melanism.

Albinism is associated with a number of vision defects, such as photophobia, nystagmus and amblyopia. Lack of skin pigmentation makes for more susceptibility to sunburn and skin cancers. 

 

 

As there is no cure for albinism, it is managed through lifestyle adjustments. People with albinism need to take care not to sun-burn and should have regular healthy skin checks by a dermatologist.

 

Persecution of people with albinism may occur for different reasons; 

 

• One is based on the belief that certain body parts of albinistic people can transmit magical powers. Such superstition is present especially in some parts of the African Great Lakes region. It has been promulgated and exploited by witch doctors and others who use such body parts as ingredients in rituals, concoctions and potions with the claim that their magic will bring prosperity to the user. 

As a result, people with albinism have been persecuted, killed and dismembered, and graves of albinos dug up and desecrated.

There exists a lucrative black market in albino body parts used to make what is promoted as powerful 'muti' medicine. The hand, arm or any albino organ is combined with other ingredients and then sold for thousands of dollars: $3,000 for a hand or over $100,000 for an entire set of organs. Sometimes body parts are even shipped across borders.

 

• At the same time, people with albinism have also been ostracised and even killed for exactly the opposite reason, because they are presumed to be cursed and bring bad luck.

 

• Many believe it is a punishment from God or bad luck, and that their "disease" could be contagious which is often the view of even members of the medical and professional community.

 

• There are further issues which arise when there is lack of education about albinism. Fathers often suspect the mother of the albino child of infidelity with a white man or that the child is the ghost of a European colonist. This can cause immense strain on families and relationships. An albino child is often seen as a bad omen and treated as unwanted. Many albino babies become victims of infanticide to these superstitious views. 

 

These misconceptions, coupled with the lack of education are some of the key reasons that albinism is so heavily persecuted. This lack of knowledge about people with albinism means that folktales and superstition in the name of witchcraft take the place of medical and scientific facts in the minds of many native Africans, with and without albinism, which in turn has major effects on the social integration of albinistic people into African society. Ninety-eight percent of albinos die by the age of forty for reasons which could easily be prevented.

 

In Tanzania, albinos represent one in every 1429 births, a much higher rate than in any other nation. A number of albinos have migrated to the Dar es Salaam area, as they feel safer in an urban setting. Tanzania is thought to have the largest population of albinos in Africa.

• The number of Albinos in Tanzania is estimate to 500 000 (registrated) for a population of 49 250 000 people (2013)

• In Pwani area, we have currently 479 regested members (2015)

 

 

Our goal is to educate and create an international understanding of the trials which albinos are facing in a modern world still dealing with ancient rituals and practices which encourage murder for medicine. This is against all international human rights legislation and therefore it is important that albinos are collectively protected.

 

 

Main source: Wikipedia