Refilwe Modiselle's ‘Zizi's World' shines light on life through the eyes of a child with albinism
JOHANNESBURG – Media personality Refilwe Modiselle has taken a huge step in her career, adding the title of author to her list of achievements.
The book, set to be released on Saturday, June 28, is a collaboration with leading publisher Lingua Franca.
Speaking to Eyewitness News, Modiselle said her new book, 'Zizi's World: Through her Vanilla Eyes', addresses albinism and promotes inclusivity and diversification, aiming to educate parents, educators, and children about albinism and social integration.
'The book is based on Zizi, who is a child with albinism, and her experience of a child who moves from one environment to then is introduced to the next, but with the opening of her reality as a child with albinism', said Modiselle.
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Eyewitness News
2 days ago
- Eyewitness News
Refilwe Modiselle's ‘Zizi's World' shines light on life through the eyes of a child with albinism
JOHANNESBURG – Media personality Refilwe Modiselle has taken a huge step in her career, adding the title of author to her list of achievements. The book, set to be released on Saturday, June 28, is a collaboration with leading publisher Lingua Franca. Speaking to Eyewitness News, Modiselle said her new book, 'Zizi's World: Through her Vanilla Eyes', addresses albinism and promotes inclusivity and diversification, aiming to educate parents, educators, and children about albinism and social integration. 'The book is based on Zizi, who is a child with albinism, and her experience of a child who moves from one environment to then is introduced to the next, but with the opening of her reality as a child with albinism', said Modiselle.
IOL News
09-06-2025
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Refilwe Modiselle embarks on a groundbreaking literary journey with debut children's book
Refilwe Modiselle has taken a monumental step in her career by adding "author" to her impressive resume. Image: Ndi Media South African model and activist Refilwe Modiselle has taken a monumental step in her career by adding "author" to her impressive resume. In an emotional announcement shared on Instagram, Modiselle expressed her elation: "Adding AUTHOR to my resume is unbelievable! This is an unexpected dream coming to fruition after hearing people for years say, 'When will you write a book Fi?'" Her journey culminates in a touching children's book titled 'Zizi's World: Through her Vanilla Eyes', set to be released on Saturday, June 28. This literary venture, created in collaboration with the acclaimed Lingua Franca Publishers, aims to empower young readers while promoting themes of inclusion, self-love, and diversity awareness. The book tells the story of a young girl with albinism who moves to a new city and learns to embrace her uniqueness despite challenges. Zizi, a confident girl supported by loving parents, faces uncertainty when she starts primary school and notices few people look like her. With her parents' help, she finds strength in her identity. Modiselle, who has always had a deep affection for children, articulated her vision for the book: "I've also always felt like if I had a book to read that had representation for people like me, the world would be a lot kinder in grooming kids with more emotional intelligence." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Through her story, she hopes to address vital topics such as bullying, respect, and acceptance, touching on experiences close to her heart as a person with albinism. The book is hailed as the first of its kind in South Africa, bringing much-needed representation to children who often find themselves overlooked in mainstream literature. "This just wasn't about writing a book; it was an intentional labour of love to teach children about embracing differences," Modiselle declared. In her heartfelt post, she shared, 'I hope & pray it fuels some education & the culture of reading too.' Reflecting on her childhood and the influence of her father's love for reading, she expressed her gratitude for the foundational role it played in her life, stating that her dad would be immensely proud as she embarks on this new phase, coincidentally launching it on his birthday weekend.
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New children's book highlights challenges and strength in living with albinism
Refilwe Modiselle, South Africa's first working model with albinism, launches her debut children's book Zizi's World: Through Her Vanilla Eyes, celebrating diversity and self-acceptance. Award-winning media personality, actress, and South Africa's first working model with albinism, Refilwe Modiselle, has entered the literary world with her debut children's book, Zizi's World: Through Her Vanilla Eyes. The book tells the story of a young girl with albinism who moves to a new city and learns to embrace her uniqueness despite challenges. Zizi, a confident girl supported by loving parents, faces uncertainty when she starts primary school and notices few people look like her. With her parents' help, she finds strength in her identity. Zizi's World is aimed at children aged 4 to 12 and addresses the everyday experiences of children with albinism while encouraging empathy and respect among all readers. The story tackles misconceptions about albinism, especially in African communities, and reflects authentic South African settings and culture. The book promotes themes of kindness, respect, unity, and standing up for others, aligning with goals for raising emotionally intelligent and compassionate children in diverse classrooms. Refilwe Modiselle is an award-winning actress, TV and radio host, model, inspirational speaker, and team-building coach. She is recognised as South Africa's first successful working model with albinism and has a social media following of over 825,000. Modiselle uses her platform to challenge stereotypes and advocate for people with albinism. Zizi's World: Through Her Vanilla Eyes is her first children's book, inspired by her own journey to celebrate diversity, identity, belonging, and inclusivity.
