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Zimbabwe Miss Albinism aims to help end discrimination

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Sitembiso Mutukura has faced discrimination all her life. She has albinism – a congenital disorder characterized by lack of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes.

From being shunned by relatives to getting negative comments from people in the streets, Sitembiso says it helped that her parents taught her from a young age to be confident in her own skin and shut out the noise.

The 22-year-old second year social studies student at the University of Zimbabwe recently took part in the country’s first Miss Albinism beauty pageant.

The pageant aimed to fight stigma and create awareness about the condition.

Sitembiso Mutukura emerged winner of the competition, beating 12 contestants to win 85 US dollars and a gift hamper.

“My main mission or reason why I entered into this pageant was to raise awareness due to stigma associated with people with albinism mainly. That’s what motivated me to be there so I was saying if ever I was given the opportunity I would want to be an ambassador I would like to be an advocate for persons with albinism,” she said.

Albinism affects up to one in 15 000 people in sub-Saharan Africa.

In many countries, albinos’ body parts are believed to bring wealth and good luck and are prized in witchcraft for use in charms and magical potions.

Witch doctors are willing to pay as much as $75 000 for a full set of albino limbs, according to the Red Cross.

More than 600 attacks have taken place in 26 African countries since 2007, with almost two-thirds of the victims being children.

Parents also abandon children with albinism or keep them out of school because they are seen as mentally retarded. Some opt to drop out to avoid bullying.

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