ALBINISM AND STIGMATIZATION

According to Wikipedia, Albinism in humans is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. Albinism is associated with a number of vision defects, such asphotophobia, nystagmus, andamblyopia. Lack of skin pigmentation makes for more susceptibility to sunburn and skin cancers. In rare cases such as Chédiak–Higashi syndrome, albinism may be associated with deficiencies in the transportation of melanin granules. This also affects essential granules present in immune cells leading to increased susceptibility to infection.

Source: wikipedia

Approximately one in seventeen thousand (17,000) people worldwide has one form of albinism or the other according to "albino foundation" and they are faced with numerous health challenges but visual plight is the major of all.

STIGMATIZATION
stigmatization is described as setting some mark of disgrace upon an individual, group of people or a family.

THE STIGMA AGAINST ALBINOS
In my African environment, albinos face a lot of challenges in coping with their society because so many people do not want to associate or mingle with them; they are seen as a demigod and that reminds me of an adage that says "whatever an albino say is actually a statement of the gods".
Even on the street, some people do make jest of albinos asking if they could see well since its not night time. One day a mother instructed her son to go in and bring something for her and the boy went in and couldn't find what he was asked to bring, "are you an albino?" was her mother's question.

Marriage is another aspect of the stigma. No matter how sound, intelligent, nice and caring an albino could be, no lady or guy would willingly want to marry him/her. I asked an albino lady why she's yet to be married and she said "to get a dating partner is hard not to mention marriage.

I learnt of an unconfirmed story that albinos In younde, Cameroon do gather to sing on Sundays as a therapy that helps them cope with the stigma. That if true is to tell us how frustrated they might have been.

Another fact is that albinos are kidnapped, murdered and used for money rituals in some parts of the world with the believe that their parts responds and brings more money when used for rituals.

We should all come to realise that albinism is just a condition and that they are not such a special breed as some people believe. Albinos are human like us and they need our love, care and respect.

STOP THE HATE.
STOP THE STIGMATIZATION TODAY.

THANK YOU