In Africa there is a famous saying: “Albinos do not die: they disappear”. On the continent, and especially in the sub-Saharan area, there are many myths and cruel beliefs concern people with albinism, who are marginalized – often cannot even attend school – and subjected to extreme practices related to witchcraft, including mutilation, sexual violence, kidnapping and trafficking in body parts, which are used as amulets. But also to ritual murders.
Victims of ferocious social, political and economic discrimination, they are victims of their natural environment as well. The melanin deficiency that characterizes their skin, hair and eyes makes people with albinism a lot sensitive to the sun and leads to skin and vision problems. In Senegal there are about 10 thousand people with albinism: on average 90% of them die of cancer to the skin, even before turning 30.
Excluded from social and economic life, albinos (especially women and people with HIV – AIDS) are heavily discriminated against, also because there are no laws that protect them. This is why the Franco-Senegalese documentary photographer Maroussia Mbayegraduated from London School of Economics (LSE) and al London College of Communicationwith his “Burning” projecthas launched an awareness campaign to investigate, show and combat the stigma that people with albinism suffer.
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Source: Vanity Fair
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