Miss and Mister Albino Competition60

In the town of Geita, in the northwest of Tanzania, a Miss and Mister Albino election was held for the first time. Elizabeth James was elected Miss and Richard Feruz was elected Mister. The theme of the event was Out of the shadow/Into the Light. For many albinos, Africa is a curse. Due to their lack of skin pigment that offers protection against ultraviolet rays, they quickly develop skin cancer. The bright light cuts their eyes like a knife. Tumors easily occur in them. In Tanzania, only two percent of them are over forty years old. But albinos are also the victims of corrupt doctors. Driven by greed, they make their unscrupulous clientele wise that drinks, creams and powders made from the bones of albinos or their head hairs bring happiness. That those means provide protection against evil spirits. albinos were never previously killed for that reason. In some West African cultures they were worshiped precisely because they would bring happiness. But in Tanzania, the country with the most albinos on the African continent, they have to fear for their lives. In the region around Geita in particular, albinos have regularly been the victim of attacks, or even murder, in recent years, a survey of the aid organisation Under the Same Sun shows. Arms, legs and genitals can easily raise 50,000 euros on the black market. A whole body maybe up to 75,000 euros. For the replenishment of an albino, a thousand euros will soon be added in the region. Lately, serious attention has also been paid to the health problems of albinos. In hospitals they receive strong sunscreen creams for free. albinos are now in parliament in Tanzania and neighbouring Kenya. Last year, a Miss Albino election was already held in Kenya.