Thousands of albinos in East Africa, especially those living in Tanzania and Burundi, live in constant fear of their lives.
This is election year for Tanzania and it is feared that the election will increase the threat to the albinos. As a result, many more albinos will take refuge at the Kabanga School for the disabled that offers shelter and protection. The school, however, is in dire need of support and improvement.
In one corner of the school field, smoke billows from a huge pot that sits on a pile of crackling firewood. Dinner for 200 is being prepared. It is a modest meal of maizemeal porridge, known locally as ugali, and beans. The children line up eagerly, waiting to be served.
Mwalimu Steven Samwel, assistant headteacher and coordinator of the Kabanga school in Kasulu in north-west Tanzania, tells me all meals are prepared like this as the school lacks a proper kitchen. He deplores the fact that there is no dining hall for the children, so they have to eat all their meals in the open which, of course, increases the risk of food contamination.
This is the school where Angelina and Daudi Tunze were planning to bring their son Naimana. I attended their four-year-old son's funeral, 150 km away in Katahana village in Kibondo region. His life was cruelly snatched by suspected albino body part traders on the night of 17 April. Naimana needed to have reached the age of five in order to attend the school.
“Since the albino killings began in 2007, we decided to open our doors to more children with the condition. Working with the authorities, we can take care of their safety. There are now 56 of them, children, infants and mothers,” said Mwalimu Steven.
Even though living conditions are in dire need of improvement, albinos continue to converge here, stretching the school’s few resources to the limit. There are two dormitories, each with only 50 beds. Late last year, Tanzania Red Cross volunteers moved by the physical state of albinos, used their own money to buy food and other relief items such as blankets.
“Were it not for the Red Cross donation of beds and mattresses, children would still be lying on rags on the bare concrete floor,” says the school’s matron.
This is Tanzania’s election year. Vicky Ntetema, former chief of the BBC Tanzania office, warns that albino killings may be on the increase because some politicians may believe that the magical powers supposedly derived from using albino parts can enable them to win at the polls.
Vicky Ntetema revealed the albino tragedy to the world, putting her own life at risk. She has recently won a bravery award for her work for the albinos and she now works with the organization Under the Same Sun, dedicating her time to defend the albinos.
Mwalimu Steven confirms that the election means that the albinos face a much greater risk.
In early March this year, four albino siblings ran into the school grounds. Bartha Ismaeli, 15, and her sister Baswila, 20, and brothers Mohammed, 19, and Imlani 13 now live at the school. They heard about the recent albino attacks on radio. They feared for their lives and their parents brought them to the school.
“We were frightened that attackers might come for us. When we are here, we feel much safer. There is a day guard who watches us and, at night, two armed policemen come and count us before we enter the dorms. They then patrol the compound at night and that is how we know we are safe,” says Bartha.
Since November 2009, when the International Federation launched its advocacy report, Through Albino eyes, at least seven more albinos have joined the school.
What started originally as an institution for disabled and visually impaired children, is now also a safe haven for albino children and their mothers. Unfortunately, the school lacks the capacity to offer the adults vocational training.
“Since the situation is likely to last for more than just a few months there are immediate needs to address such as expanding the dormitories, building a proper kitchen, as well as dining area. The fence surrounding the school also needs to be raised in order to tighten security”, said Mwalimu Steven.
The coordinator for the Kigoma branch of the Tanzania Red Cross, Jane Chagie, says they will continue to support the school and plan to expand the role of the region’s HIV peer educators to include an albino awareness programme.
“We have a total of 900 peer educators in the region’s 220 villages. Lack of funds is the only obstacle impeding the implementation of our programme. The population needs to be sensitized on what albinism truly means through social gatherings and by using brochures in local languages and branded T-shirts,” says Jane.
The long-term goals of the Red Cross are to see a change in the mindset of communities to no longer tolerate the terrible discrimination facing people with albinism.
Help the albinos
If you would like to support our work in helping the albinos in Tanzania and Burundi, you can donate by using the bank details below.
Account Name: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Bank Name: Standard Chartered Bank
Account Number: 8706025934700
Swift Code: SCBLKENXAXX
Country: Kenya
Reference: Albino project
Please note that this bank account is a US dollars account held by the International Federation regional office in Nairobi. To make sure your donation is earmarked for the albinos, please ensure you include the reference 'Albino project' when you make your donation.
On behalf of the albinos, thank you for supporting our work.