Mission

Our vision is to maintan educational attainment and health wellbeing of children & young people with albinism in Tanzania

Category

Health

Additional Information

Nicopolis is a UK Christian Non Governmental Organization operating in the United Republic of Tanzania. While Nicopolis is a Christian Organization, that aims to provide Christ centered services and support, our services are available to all; we do not discriminate in our service provision based on religion, gender, ethnicity or any other backgrounds. Intense Social Exclusion & Discrimination of the Albinism Community in Tanzania Nciopolis run projects supporting children and young people with albinism and their families in Tanzania, East Africa. The albinism community is excluded socially, economically and educationally in Tanzania, this exclusion from the mainstream society means that albinism children and adults alike live in extreme poverty with limited and often no opportunity for self-sustenance and self-determination. This vulnerable community in Tanzania is facing issues of gross human rights violation and social justice. The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, called for greater protection of people with albinism in Tanzania (http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47800#.VImAhHty3oQ). The UN states that the albinism community in Tanzania lives on less than US$1 per day. This exclusion from the mainstream society means that albinism children and adults alike live in extreme poverty with limited and often no opportunity for self-sustenance and self-determination.A Challenges facing children with albinism The difficulties facing children with albinism in Tanzania are horrendous; they start from birth, well before even the children enter the education system. They suffer rejection often from their immediate families, communities and nation. They are persecuted, stigmatized and hunted for their body parts, as a result many have has their limbs chopped off for superstitious reasons. Incidents of skin cancer diagnosis are quite high amongst children and adults with albinism due to the harsh hot tropical weather in Tanzania. They live in constant fear of the kidnappings and being killed for body parts by the witchdoctors, a life without love, hope or family. They are hunted and hounded in the middle of the night, their limbs cut off and sold for outrageous amounts of money to witch doctors. Everyone from infants to adults live in constant fear as they are targeted.  Challenges faced by the children with albinism in the education system  These vulnerable children with albinism are facing intense challenging negative environment in the inclusive education systems in Tanzania. The stigmatization, abuse and exclusion they face from their families, communities and wider society follows them-up within the education system, from other pupils and often from the teachers and school authorities who are supposed protect them. Hence the vast majority of these vulnerable children are dropping out of the education system, with poor and most cases no literacy or numeracy skills.  The Tanzanian Albinism Society reports that a very high number of children with albinism are dropping out from schools because of the intense discrimination that they face within the ‘inclusive education’ systems. A very large proportion of these children are suffering from rejection, anxiety, fear, post traumatic disorders and sexual abuse due to superstitious beliefs in Tanzania that if one sleeps with a person with albinism, one can get cured from HIV.  Challenges of skin care due to the harsh hot tropical weather Tanzania’s harsh tropical climate with its scorching hot sun is resulting in the majority people with People with albinism contracting skin cancer in Tanzania, nearing 100% are said to show signs of sun-related skin damage. Most images of children with skin cancer are too graphic to post on our website. Poverty makes it impossible to obtain sun cream and appropriate clothing such as wide brim hats and long sleeved shirts.  It is estimated that because of skin cancer people with albinism in Tanzania live the life expectancy of only 30 years contrary to that of the general population 58 years.  About 80% of children and people with albinism are dying at home with skin cancer without reaching the hospitals for treatment. According to Tanzania Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, only 10% of cancer cases reach the Ocean Road Cancer Institute, the only national cancer-specialized hospital in Tanzania. Above all, 80% of all cancers reaching this cancer national hospital are at advanced stages that the possibility of the complete cure is quite low. Moreover, knowledge on skin cancer prevention, cure and care among people with albinism, parents, guardians, teachers and general public is still a mystery. Nicopolis Tanzania Albinism Support Our field of work with the albinism community includes education, health and income generation, Human rights. We are currently developing plans to construct a multi-purpose center that will provided the much needed direct support, activities and programs to children and young people with albinism and their families, on 45 acres of land that has been donated by the Chunya District Council. Future plans for the center that will include an:     Educational Resource Centre that will use cutting edge technology in low vision, as must children and young people with albinism suffers from low vision as a result of the condition and     Cancer Screening & Treatment Clinic    The 1st Phase of the project is focused on building a home for the many abandoned children with albinism, the home will include a pre-school and a primary school. This 1st Phase will cater initially for around 30 to 40 children from the ages of 0 to 5 years old.  Web-links: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30394260 http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/03/13/how-tanzanias-upcoming-election-could-put-albinos-at-risk-for-attack/ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/21/world/africa/fears-persist-that-violence-against-albinos-in-tanzania-will-grow.html                                               \