By Linah Benyawa
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| The centre at the Coast that caters for people with albinism. |
They are the most endangered species in East Africa and face extinction because of what some people think are their “valuable body parts”.
There is a widespread belief that albino body parts are a path to acquisition of material wealth.
The belief seems to be taking root in the Coastal counties too where albinos risk risk being sold off to neighbouring Tanzania, where this wealth creation myth originated.
Health reasons
In Kinango district of Kwale County, a non-governmental organisation has even come up with a project that will ensure people living with albinism are protected.
According to the coordinator of Education Foundation Support Trust Hussein Lubambo, there are more than 50 children living with albinism in the district and that their lives are at a great risk. The organisation has constructed a dormitory for the vulnerable children.
“Albino children in Kwale live in fear because of their closeness to the Tanzanian border. We came up with this project to guarantee protection to these children,” he says.
The Kibandaongo Albino unit took in 15 children and integrated them in Kibandaongo Primary school where they are taken care of.
Mr Lubambo says they identified a school which had children living with the condition. From that, they came up with the dormitory project. Apart from the risk of being sold, the children also used to walk long distances to and from school.
“We had to come up with this project because of security and health reasons. The long distances meant that the children could be affected by ultra-violet rays.
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