Latest news with #Albinism
Daily Record
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Albino Scots hypnotist backs SCIAF campaign to help Africans with condition
Fraser Penman is taking time out to back SCIAF's summer campaign to support people with disabilities. A Lanarkshire hypnotist described as 'Scotland's answer to Derren Brown' is using his experience of Albinism to help those affected by the condition in some of the poorest parts of the world. In the run up to his new headline show at the Edinburgh Fringe, mind reader Fraser Penman is taking time out to back SCIAF's summer campaign to support people with disabilities. In Scotland, one in 17,000 have Albinism, but in Malawi, where SCIAF works, it's one in 130. They may have been born more than 8,000 miles apart but Fraser and Baison Makolopa have more in common than you would think. Both hid from their genetic condition, albinism, and felt isolated from their communities. And both turned their lives - and fortunes - around to live life to the full. Fraser, 30, grew up in East Kilbride and still lives in the South Lanarkshire town. He was bullied at school when he was just eight-years-old 'because he was different', culminating in a violent gang attack when he was a teenager. Half a world away in southern Malawi, Baison Makolopa, 36, Baison has faced unimaginable challenges, even facing attempts on his life. He's one of almost 140,000 people in Malawi living with albinism – a condition that affects his vision and puts his skin at risk in the hot African sun. The brutal stigma around his condition almost cost Baison his life when attackers got into his home during the night. Fortunately, he escaped just in time before the intruders found him. Baison said: 'When I was attacked, I remember it was night-time, and I was sleeping. I heard people pushing open the door – there were people in my house! 'My house has two doors and so, by the time the attackers had got in, I was able to sneak out the other door. I was so scared and had many sleepless nights afterwards.' In Malawi, people with albinism can face extreme discrimination, isolation, and violence – and often extreme poverty. Harmful superstitions, like the belief that body parts from people with albinism bring luck, fuel violent attacks, leaving them vulnerable and afraid. Baison has found support in an unlikely place in Scotland. The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), through their local partner in Malawi, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), has provided skills training and grants to people like Baison, to help them develop their own business. This then enables people with albinism to earn a living and lift themselves out of poverty. They're also helping change attitudes in communities, working with people like Baison, the police, teachers, and leaders to fight stigma, prevent violence, and bring perpetrators to justice. Baison turned his life around after he first came into contact with SCIAF's partner, adding: 'They challenged us to believe in ourselves and encouraged us to start a business, so I started selling rice. Slowly, the business began to grow. Then I opened this shop.' Fraser says he's proud to support SCIAF's work with people with disabilities, including Albinism. He added: 'I love that SCIAF gives people the opportunity to believe in themselves and achieve their dreams by providing them with a pathway to unleash their imagination. 'I want to make a difference drawing on the struggles I had when I was younger. 'I am so proud to be associated with this campaign. SCIAF aligns with my mission in life which is to help anyone, no matter if they have a disability or not, to become the best version of themselves.' Donating to SCIAF's Dignity for All Appeal couldn't be simpler. It only takes a couple of minutes to donate at To give £5 you can text SCIAF to 70480 or to give £20 you can text SCIAF to 70450.
South China Morning Post
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Write a funny caption for this screaming monkey
Albinism is a genetic condition characterised by the absence of melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes that affects people and animals. International Albinism Awareness Day is observed in June each year to challenge stereotypes and discrimination as well as to promote human rights and visibility. EPA-EFE Send us a funny caption by filling out this form or emailing us at editorial@ The deadline is at 12pm on July 2. We'll publish the best ones next week. Last week's top caption Hundreds of people gather every year to watch the annual sharpening of LOTI Pencil near Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. Photo: TNS Wong Chun-hei (aged 11), Yaumati Catholic Primary School: Well, I guess I have to grow bigger!
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Business Standard
13-06-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
International Albinism Awareness Day 2025: History, significance and more
Every year on June 13, the International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) is celebrated to uphold the human rights of individuals with 'Albinism'. Furthermore, this disease is also linked to a significant level of discrimination. Due to a lack of knowledge about this condition, people affected by Albinism endure a lot of social hardship and encounter various sorts of prejudice, including disability-based discrimination. As we observe this day, we can work together to create a more accepting society where those living with this condition can live without prejudice and receive the care they need by utilising research, education, and empathy. What is Albinism? A genetic condition known as 'Albinism' causes a person to be born with less melanin pigment than normal. Their skin, hair, and eyes are all colored by a substance called melanin. Additionally, it has a role in the development of the optic nerve, which implies it supports healthy eye function. The majority of individuals with albinism have extremely pale eyes, skin, and hair. Individual differences may exist in skin tone, eye color, and hair color. The majority of those who have this illness also have minor to severe visual issues. The Latin word "albus," meaning white, and the term "albino" is used to describe someone who has albinism. However, many individuals with this illness and healthcare providers prefer to use "a person with albinism." Instead of defining a person's identity by a medical condition, this term prioritises the individual. International Albinism Awareness Day 2025 Theme "Demanding Our Rights: Protect Our Skin, Preserve Our Lives" is the International Albinism Awareness Day theme 2025. This year's theme emphasises on how skin cancer can be fatal for people with albinism and stresses the value of early discovery, appropriate treatment, and sun protection. International Albinism Awareness Day 2025: History and Significance On December 18, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly established the International Albinism Awareness Day. The inaugural IAAD observance was carried out in 2015 after it was decided that June 13 would be the day. By adopting this resolution, the UN Human Rights Council firmly adopted its commitment to preventing violence and discrimination against individuals with albinism. In the case of albinism and those who live with it, this day is required to serve as a reminder of both the dangers of the past and the way forward.
Zawya
05-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
European Union and Culture Fund Continue to Strengthen Zimbabwe's Creative Sector with Four Newly Awarded Grants
The Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust, in partnership with the European Union (EU) Delegation to Zimbabwe, is pleased to announce the awarding of grants for a total amount of USD $27,929.00 to four outstanding Zimbabwean cultural and creative operators under the CreativeACTIONs 2 program — the EU Delegation's flagship cultural initiative in Zimbabwe. The newly awarded grants, ranging from USD $1,598.00 and USD $10,000.00, support a dynamic mix of local and international-facing initiatives that use arts and culture as tools for promoting inclusion, innovation, skills transfer, economic empowerment and global engagement. The four funded projects include: A disability-inclusive visual arts exhibition amplifying the voices and creativity of persons with Albinism through workshops, public showcases and advocacy around accessibility in the arts. A heritage-inspired empowerment project helping 100 women generate income by transforming gemstones into high-value jewellery, in collaboration with the Zimbabwe School of Mines and MMCZ. A mobility grant enabling a young Zimbabwean theatre educator to participate in a knowledge exchange and international capacity-building in Germany. Funding for an international theatre festival and arts platform showcasing Zimbabwean and international talent, further expanding Zimbabwe's cultural footprint and promoting cross-cultural dialogue and sector growth. This latest round of grants builds on the EU and Culture Fund's shared commitment to bolstering Zimbabwe's creative economy by supporting youth, women, and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs),at all career stages from emerging to established through strategic funding of organizations, institutions, events and festivals that expand opportunities within the arts and culture sector. This support also facilitates international cultural exchanges between Zimbabwean creatives and artists in other African countries and EU member states. Since its launch in 2023, CreativeACTIONs 2 has supported 86 projects nationwide with a total investment of USD $1,232,050.00. The initiative has had a meaningful impact on Zimbabwe's creative ecosystem by: Strengthening institutional and individual capacity; Advancing inclusion and representation in the arts; Creating platforms for creative expression, innovation and economic opportunities; Supporting national cultural policies; Facilitating mobility market access for Zimbabwean arts and cultural products. All ten provinces of Zimbabwe have benefited from CreativeACTIONs 2, with projects ranging from community-level empowerment to international collaborations. These initiatives have provided Zimbabwean artists with enhanced opportunities for cross-border exchange, market expansion, and increased international visibility. The final Call for Proposals under the programme closed on 31 May 2025, with successful applicants expected to be announced in July 2025. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to Zimbabwe.
New Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Include sunscreen on the essential medicine list: Doctors with disability write to WHO
NEW DELHI: Often mocked as "Suraj-mukhi" (sun-facing) or "Angrez" (British) due to their pale skin tone, as many as two lakh Indians, including health professionals, suffering from Albinism - a rare genetic condition - face daily exposure to harmful UV radiation and social discrimination. Taking up their cause, Doctors with Disabilities: Agents of Change, a body of health professionals with disabilities for social justice, has written to the 25th World Health Organisation (WHO) Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines, to include sunscreen on the Essential Medicines List. In the letter to the members of the expert committee, Dr Satendra Singh, the group's founder and a noted disability rights champion, said, 'We write to express our strong and wholehearted support for the inclusion of sunscreen on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, a matter to be discussed at your forthcoming 25th meeting in Geneva, from May 5 to 9.' 'Adopting this critical decision is not only a matter of public health - it is a climate justice and human rights imperative. Sunscreen is far more than a cosmetic product. It is a vital, life-saving medical intervention, particularly for persons with albinism, who face unique biological vulnerabilities to ultraviolet (UV) radiation,' Dr Singh, who is also a Director Professor of the Department of Physiology, University College of Medical Sciences and G.T.B Hospital, Delhi, said. 'This is especially critical in regions with high UV exposure, where individuals with albinism often lack access to affordable, adequate sun protection. The consequences are dire: disproportionately high rates of skin damage, disfigurement, and preventable mortality due to skin cancer,' the letter, dated April 20, said. In India alone, over 200,000 individuals, including health professionals, live with albinism, a rare genetic condition caused by mutations or changes in certain genes that affect the amount of melanin the body produces. Melanin controls the pigmentation (colour) of the skin, eyes, and hair. Highlighting that people suffering from Albinism are often subjected to social discrimination and harmful stereotypes due to their pale skin tone, the letter further said, 'Ironically, in a society where light skin is often idealised and dark skin is stigmatised, individuals with albinism still face prejudice, exclusion, and mockery, compounding their already fragile health condition.' 'Their experience highlights how social and structural discrimination exacerbates health inequities, especially in low-resource settings,' the letter said. Dr Singh quoted the United Nations Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights by Persons with Albinism 2023 report, which reaffirmed that sunscreen must be recognised and treated as an essential health product, not a luxury or cosmetic item. 'We echo that view and emphasise that the failure to provide equitable access to sunscreen is a manifestation of systemic health inequity affecting marginalised populations,' Dr Singh, who is also co-chair of the International Council for Disability Inclusion in Medical Education, said. 'Including sunscreen in the WHO Essential Medicines List would mark a historic and science-based step forward, affirming the Committee's commitment to inclusive, equitable, and rights-based global health policy. It would also signal leadership in addressing the intersections of disability, climate vulnerability, and access to care,' the letter added. 'We respectfully urge the Committee to seize this opportunity to protect lives, advance health equity, and uphold the rights and dignity of people with albinism and other vulnerable groups worldwide,' it added. Dr Singh further emphasised that sunscreen is the shield and not a luxury but a necessity for people suffering from Albinism.
