Blogs

Working as an Intern for the Albinism in Africa Project, 23rd May 2019, from Lancaster University

When I started to look for a placement as a requirement of one of my modules, I never expected to learn so much about a topic that is so important but talked about so little.

Working as an intern on the Albinism in Africa project has made me aware of the challenges and hardships that people living with albinism in Africa face. Read on…

 

Breaking the Myth of Albinism – June 2018

In my research on interventions to reduce the discrimination related to people with albinism in Tanzania I observe different types of interventions. This way I can learn more about the components of interventions that make the intervention effective. I was invited by Under The Same Sun, an organisation that promotes the wellbeing of people with albinism in Tanzania through education and advocacy, to come along on their “Haki Yetu (Our rights)” tour. On this tour they visit primary schools and communities to raise awareness of albinism. On their tour they perform a theatre play, I would say an ‘interactive theatre play’ as it is not just a play, it requires the audience to intervene in the situation that is being acted on stage. Read on…

 

International Albinism Awareness day 2017 – Tanzania and the UK

The 13th of June is the date when people with albinism all over the world ask for attention to the situation of people with albinism. This year’s theme of International Albinism Awareness Day was ‘Advancing with renewed hope’. The message gives new hope for persons with albinism to take a step forward, a step forward to conquer their fear, a step forward to mainstreaming, a step forward to a brighter future with an educated generation of the marginalized group. Some great events have been organised. Among these were an event in Lamadi in Tanzania and, on the other side of the world, a special symposium on Albinism in Africa in London in the UK.  Read on…

 

Thomas Bright, the project’s intern, 12 February 2015, from Lancaster University

Learning about albinism as a project intern: “When Lancaster University (which I had left just a few months ago at the end of my undergraduate degree), offered me the chance to work as an intern on this project, I gratefully accepted. In the week that followed, family and friends asked me what I knew about albinism in Africa, and I cheerfully replied “Nothing, really.” I had only ever met one person with albinism, and knew almost nothing about the condition beyond its visible signs.” Read on…

 

Tjitske de Groot’s blog, 30 May 2014, from Geita, Tanzania

“Hello everyone. I am Tjitske de Groot, 22 years old, from the Netherlands. Together with a friend I am working as an intern at Nelico in Geita, Tanzania. We are working for the albinism department of this Tanzanian NGO. We are collaborating with the Tanzania Albino Society (TAS).”  Read on…

 

Charlotte Baker:  Lancaster University blog, which flags up the importance of collaboration between researchers and associations in challenging misconceptions about albinism:  http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/blogs/charlotte-baker/albinism-in-africa.