Albinos still face tests despite protection efforts

Magu. Over 100 residents including security officers and legislators at Ihushi Village in Magu Rural last week raised concerns over challenges facing the People Living with Albinism (PLW).

A community forum, which took place last week, proposed a solution that would help curb attacks and discrimination against PLW. Security measures and discrimination against the PLW were top agendas of the forum. The forum was organised by a non-governmental organisation, Disability Relief Services (DRS), which supports children with albinism.

Through campaigns in Magu District, the DRS is mobilising community members to refrain from discriminating the PLW, especially children, by taking them to camps.

The DRS programme officer, Mr Vivan Kori explained last week that the camps for the PLW were not a solution to their challenges. They are still being hunted for their body parts.

“The current order is discriminatory. Sending children with albinism top camps means breaking their bond with the society they come from and this may still have severe impacts on them,” he said. “When the PLW are brought back from the camps, they are considered different from other people, so they are discriminated, which it make life difficult for them.” Mr Kori noted that creating awareness among the community members starting from the family level and that their body parts could not make people rich would help ensure their safety.

DRS is funded by the Lilian Foundation based in Netherlands and is set to raise awareness on the importance of including the PLW among other community members.