In Malawi, life can be dangerous for those with albinism but through close link with local communities, Open Arms has been able to offer some support.
Albinism affects individuals, families and communities, with many feeling unsafe, uncomfortable, and fearful when they leave home or when leaving their loved ones alone due to the historic culture and notion of albinism.
Reports from Amnesty International and the Association of Persons with Albinism continue to highlight the increase in the risk of ritual killings and abductions throughout the country. Women and girls are at particular risk as they are seen as easy targets.
In 2019 and 2020, there was a dangerously high escalation in murders in Malawi, with a high number of registered cases of abuse and violence in Machinga and the neighbouring Mangochi District.
The threat of violence toward people with albinism is a matter for Malawi local authorities but Open Arms can play a part in helping parents with advice and signposting support. The outreach team have also been helping children protect their skin from the strong sun by distributing donated cream and hats.
A strong link to local communities
One of the first people Open Arms supported was the late Sigere. He was a drummer (beater) of a Beni Dance Group, local to Mangochi until he sadly passed away in 2015 after falling ill.
Since then the team have continued to support children and families by providing sun cream to those with albinism to help them stay safe and protect their skin from the hot sun.
Budara and Hasina (pictured) are two children who we support. They are happy within their community and try to help spread the word about the importance of sun protection and encourage others to come forward.
Children with albinism attending school face several problems with acceptance among their peers and sight problems make seeing the blackboard within the classroom a major challenge. Special glasses can really help and the team are working hard to look at various ways to source and provide these glasses.
This is a small part of the community support given by the outreach team but it makes a huge difference to children like Budara and Hasina. We're always extremely grateful for any donations to our community outreach work and we're proud of the strong links our teams have built with the local community which mean that their help can reach as many people as possible.
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