PERSPECTIVE
Living with albinism, discrimination and superstition By Michael Hosea
to protect my eyes. I also have troubles at school. Sometimes I can’t see the blackboard, and I always have to sit in the shade. This country does not have sufficient visionenhancing technology, such as glasses, magnifiers and special computer equipment, and without it children with albinism have a hard time graduating from school and finding employment. My family is poor, so getting money for school fees is also difficult.
Michael Hosea was born in 1995. He is the eldest of six children and one of three persons with albinism in his immediate family. He lives in Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania, and is about to graduate from school. He advocates for the rights of young people with disabilities, particularly those with albinism, through the Leonard Cheshire Disability Young Voices network.
6
I was born in Mwanza, the second largest city in the United Republic of Tanzania. I am the eldest son and live with my siblings and parents in Dodoma, the capital. There are six children in our family; one of my sisters and one of my brothers are also albinos. The impairments caused by my condition make life very difficult. I always have trouble with the sun and have to cover up with heavy, long-sleeved clothing and wear sunglasses
THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2013: Children with Disabilities
Life is complicated even more by the way people treat us. There is a lot of discrimination against people with albinism, and I sometimes lack the company of friends. Some people also believe horrible myths about us: that we are not human and never die, that albinism is a curse from the gods and that anyone who touches us will be cursed. Worst of all, practitioners of witchcraft hunt and kill us to use our hair, body parts and organs in charms and potions. For centuries some people have believed that if they go to a witch doctor with albino