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This is a post about myth & discrimination in Tanzania.

Albinism is the condition where people, for no fault of their own, have little or none pigment in their skin. Perhaps you are familiar with the term ” albino?”

Myths

• The myth is that this skin condition is a curse and that contact with them will bring sickness, bad luck or even death.  TRUTH: just a skin condition, not contagious, and it is simply a genetic condition.
• The myth is that it is the “mother’s” fault if the child has albinism. TRUTH: BOTH the mother & father must carry this gene before the child will have albinism.
• The myth is that having sex with a woman with albinism will cure Aids. TRUTH: No one has ever been cured of Aids by having sex with a woman with Albinism. All this does is spread the Aids virus.
• The myth is that people with albinism never die, they are ghosts. TRUTH: The on-going killings of albinos in Tanzania shows this is false,  they are simply pale skinned people who lack melanin in their skin.
• The myth is that a potion made from the body parts of a person with albinism has magical powers that bring that person wealth, success and good luck. TRUTH: No one has become rich, lucky or successful from having body parts from a albino.

This is where the speech became very sensitive when I learned in detail how unfairly these people are treated even by their own families.  Sad, atrocious, and frighteningly believable stories where sons, and daughters with albinism are sold by their own parents.

→You can learn more from Under the Same Sun.

Fortunately, this is not where the speech ended, not a black, sad, and depressing finish. Instead I learned that this organization and caring people around the world are combating the myths, and evil treatment of albinos with caring and real hopeful action to reach out to these people.

Toastmaster Linda explained how she began to purchase sunscreen SPF50 for these people to send it to them. It makes a huge difference to them as they are subject to skin cancer and dying at early ages without it. As Linda started out to buy sunscreen, others became involved, stores lowered the prices, children from her scouting group helped wrap and package individual bottles for shipment.  As a result, the founder of Under the Same Sun delivered 400 bottles of SPF50 directly to albinos in Tanzania.

This year Linda would like to collect 1000 bottles of SPF50 sunscreen to send and provide relief in Tanzania.  Would you like to help? Let more people know about Under the Same Sun, and I can connect you with Linda.

Related articles

• Tanzanian Albinos Murdered or Raped as AIDS ‘Cure’ (foxnews.com)