In western Tanzania, albino individuals are attacked and cut off their hands and legs because people believe that their body parts have magical powers. So, they can be sold for thousands of dollars on the black market. Albinism is a group of genetic conditions marked by little or none of the pigment melanin in the skin, hair, and eyes.
Elissa Montanti started the Global Medical Relief Fund in 1997 to help children from crisis zones. She also reached out to the Under the Same Sun which had been sheltering albino individuals. “They are not getting their arm back, but they are getting something that is going help them a lead a productive life,” she said.
There are a lot of conventions in Africa even in this civilized age. There is no scientific reason to believe that body parts of albino individuals have great powers. It’s only a myth. On the other hand, traditional conventions are very important to Africans. So you can’t say easily to stop attacking albino individuals immediately.
I think we have three things to solve this problem. First, we have to protect lifes of albino individuals who are attacked as soon as we can. It is most important to save people who need help. Second, we have to educate people to stop such convention. Only thing that decrease the number of people who believe magical powers is education. Third, we have to tell this news all over the world. If a lot of people knew this problem, we can get a lot of support.
We must take for a long time to exterminate this custom because traditional problems are very difficult to solve. But we can’t look away from such conditions.