Albinism, a genetic condition characterized by a lack of melanin, can be a death sentence in Tanzania. Witchdoctors organize attacks on them for their body parts. People with albinism often die from skin cancer by age 30. Belief that having sex with an albino will cure HIV has increased incidences of rape. Babies are abandoned or killed. Asante Mariamu is dedicated to raising awareness about the ongoing human rights crisis affecting people with albinism in East Africa. They provide health education and sun protective gear, and empower people with albinism by providing opportunities for education to integrate them into society. They assist at Kabanga Protectorate Center in rural Western Tanzania, where children and adults with albinism are safe from attack, but are overcrowded, poor and struggling.
They've created an Albinism Awareness Day providing a safe gathering place for people with albinism throughout this region, and the relationships formed have helped create a sense of community and empowerment. As a small non-profit they are involved on a grassroots level in both empowering people with albinism and educating society about the condition.
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