The Sad Plight of Albinos in Tanzania

There is more suffering in the world than we can ever know or alleviate. No matter what the latest news story, or late night TV commercial, I still have not found a group of people that I want to help more than the albinos of Africa. 

People born without skin, eye, or hair pigment are know as albinos. This condition causes their skin to be very pale white. Because of this, they sun burn easily. Albinos have poor vision, and most are legally blind, due to several problems that are caused by a lack of pigment in the eyes.

Albino people are easy to spot in countries where many people have a white skin complexion, but they stand out even more in countries where most of the people are dark skinned. Even more of a problem is being sunlight sensitive in sunnier climates.

But the people with albinism that have the most difficult life live in Tanzania, where they not only live in a sunny climate, and in a population of mostly black people, but they are also routinely killed or maimed so that witch doctors can make potions from their body parts. Recently there have been two witch doctors arrested because of this barbaric practice;

Two witch doctors have been arrested after an albino woman was found murdered and mutilated in Tanzania.

Police in the Simiyu region said the 40-year-old victim was murdered overnight earlier this month and the attackers had hacked off her left leg, the index and middle fingers of her left hand and part of her left thumb.

. . .

People with albinism are often subjected to violent attacks in the country, where they are known as the “zeru zeru” or ghosts.

The condition is heavily stigmatised and families who see it as a curse have known to kick relatives out of their homes.

But sufferers are also a target for traditional healers, who harvest body parts to make potions for wealth, success and even election victories. — The Independent, UK

The news channel Russia Today made a touching and frightening documentary covering the difficulty that albino people face in Africa.

If this story touches your heart and you want to help there are a few organizations that help albinos in Tanzania, Under The Same Sun and Missionaries Tim and Joyce Jarvis in Tanzania.