We are collecting items to fill the third container, which will depart around February 2012, and this week has been quite hectic with lots of donations of goods from local schools and a local village community. The villagers are particularly interested in helping the Albino population of Ukerewe. These people are particularly disadvantaged as they also have very poor eyesight and without the pigment in their skin, they are very prone to skin cancer. The hot sun burns their skin and sun protection creams are very expensive, so often, the best they can do is wear a floppy hat and long sleeved shirt.
Unfortunately, that isn't all they have to contend with. Due to fear and superstition, the people with Albinism are often shunned by local communities in Tanzania. . In extreme cases, they are mutilated and even killed for their body parts, which are sometimes sold to witch doctors, who use them in their traditional medicines. Fortunately, Ukerewe Island seems to offer some sanctuary and a level of tolerance towards the Albino population. The photograph below of a lady born with Albinism was taken by Mr. Harry Freeland, a Freelance Photographer who has visited the island.
For further information on Albinism, please check out the following sites. http://www.southern-africas-children.org.uk/ and also http://www.underthesamesun.com/.
We would like to thank all of the people who have made donations so far. Currently, we are packing goods for dispatch to Huddersfield, where the forty foot container will be loaded. So far, we have filled 143 boxes. Other volunteers in our group are also collecting items in their respective areas for Ukerewe.
Until the next time,
Regards, Diane and Derek.
The number one enemy for people with albinism in Africa is the hottest African tropical sun, it makes skin blister, then sores appear and consequently skin caner develops , Sun creams, long sleeved shirts and floppy hats are a perfect donation to help people living with albinism live a healthy life.
ReplyDeleteVolunteering for the albino community on Ukerewe Island has completely changed the way I see and value life, I live on the Island myself , it wasn’t until when I actually first got involved I realized how deeply isolated and marginalized people with albinism were, you can only feel terribly guilty realizing that you are part of the community that stigmatizes and discriminates against people with albinism and it has taken you so long to realize !! You hate to think that you probably had stigma yourself against the group as you are naturally not that kind of a person, after you have been involved you discover that you are part of a community where stigma against people with albinism is so deeply engrained ! then you go on a mission to support all effort to integrate these people in the community, we have achieved much since we first started,
ReplyDeleteThe time and energy Derek is putting into this positive mission is a massive support towards a decent campaign for a full integration and empowerment of people with albinism in Tanzania, joining what we are doing can only be highly rewarding if you have been scanning the world looking for a place to help and feel your help has made a difference, counted and justified !