Workshop empowers Albinos to be self-assertive
People with Albinism face multiple challenges which restrict their daily lives. These include visual impairment and extreme vulnerability to skin infections, negative attitudes and misunderstanding from their communities.
It is for this reason that the Albinism Society of Botswana (ASB) is hosting a leadership workshop aimed at empowering albinos with public speaking, assertiveness, advocacy and lobbying skills. The three-day workshop which begins this Wednesday is held at Sedibeng Lodge.
“We want to empower our people to be able to stand up for themselves and question things that affect them. They have long been stigmatised and marginalised by their families and communities; we want to build up their self-esteem,” said Chairman of the ASB, Sergeant Kgosietsile.He told The Midweek Sun that the idea is also to take the participants on what albinism is, an inherited condition where people lack pigmentation or colouration in their skin, hair and eyes.
“One of the objectives is also to try to get information from the parents and to the parents, it’s about some of the more specific things about albinism like the increased risk of skin cancer which is not well appreciated in our country,” Kgosietsile added.
Different stakeholders working with people with albinism will share their experiences and activities, both as people living with the condition, and as individuals and organisations working to promote the social inclusion of this group.
Traditional healers will also be at hand to help counter myths that albino body parts have supernatural properties. Guests of honour include the Ambassador of Germany, Rolf Ulrich as well as Assistant Minister of Health, Philip Makgalemele.
“All in all, through these workshops, we want to debunk myths and raise awareness of the needs and potential of people with albinism so that they can avoid abuse, access education and employment, help themselves and overcome the misunderstanding and prejudice that causes them to be so disadvantaged,” said Kgosietsile.