Parents and guardians to children with albinism have been asked to stop hiding them and instead register with the National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPWD) to benefit from free protective gear provided by the government.
Rueben Mpatiany, the leader of persons living with albinism in Narok said some families were shy about exposing their children because they attribute the condition to a curse, a belief he refuted.
“The sunscreen lotion, sunhats and sunglasses given by the government are very expensive to purchase. The gear is necessary because they protect us from direct sunlight and help cushion a person from getting skin cancer, which can easily lead to death,” he explained.
Mpatiany, who is the founder of Narok Albinism Association, said his organization has 70 registered members, but averred that there many others living with the condition in the county, but fear to volunteer for registration.
“Most of the registered members are children. I encourage every family with a person living with Albinism to register so that they can get available support from the government and other well-wishers,” he said.
Albinism is an inherited condition that leads to someone having very light skin, hair, and eyes. It happens because they have less melanin than usual in their body. Melanin gives skin, hair, and eyes their color.
People with albinism have a reduced amount of melanin, or no melanin at all. This can affect their skin colouring and their eyesight.
People with albinism often have white or very light blonde hair, although some have brown or red hair. The exact colour depends on how much melanin their body produces.
International Albinism Awareness Day is marked every June 13th with an aim of informing the public about the condition to end stigma and the abuse of albinos. This year’s theme is ‘A decade of collective progress.’
By Ann Salaton
