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Disability inclusion starts with all of us

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Disability inclusion starts with all of us

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Plastic Waste Management & establishment of a nursery

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Plastic Waste Management & establishment of a nursery

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plastic waste management plan and establishment of a nursery

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Centre Talibou Dabo L’Officiel, Dakar. 234 likes · 7 talking about this. Le Centre Talibou Dabo est un Centre d’Education et de Réadaptation pour Enfants Handicapés Physiques.
Il est situé à…

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Energie pour les Droits de l’Homme (@edh.senegal) • Instagram photos and videos

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edh.senegal on March 18, 2025: ”𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘇-𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗾𝘂‘𝗮̀ 𝗣𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝘆𝗴𝗶𝗲́𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 ?
🫂L’𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗱‘é𝗹è𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘅𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝟯𝗕 est un groupement de femmes de Pikine Est, dans la banlieue de Dakar. Elles font partie du réseau Keur Marietou, actif depuis une vingtaine d’années. Ce réseau gère une école et diverses activités connexes. Bineta, la cuisinière de l’école, est également la directrice de l’atelier : un projet mis en place il y a deux ans pour soutenir financièrement l’école, auquel participent certaines femmes du réseau. 🩸« 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮 » est le nom des serviettes hygiéniques lavables, dédiées à Anna, une bénévole d’Energia qui a contribué à la création de l’entreprise.
🧵 Elles sont fabriquées à la main à partir de tissus locaux : wax, flanelle, éponge et tissu polaire, garantissant une durabilité pouvant aller jusqu’à deux ans.
💰𝗟𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘅 𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗲̀𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, surtout par rapport aux serviettes jetables, qui sont souvent trop chères pour de nombreuses femmes sénégalaises.
🌱 Cela les rend durables à la fois 𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹‘𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹‘𝗲́𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗲. Plus important encore, elles contribuent à réduire l’absentéisme scolaire des filles pendant leur cycle menstruel. 🌸 L’atelier a transformé la vie des personnes qui y travaillent. « À 55 ans, j’ai appris à coudre, j’ai appris un métier ! » racontent-elles.
🏠 Pour beaucoup, 𝗹’𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲́𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝘂𝗻 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲, 𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗼̂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀. Avoir un travail est pour elles une révolution personnelle : l’atelier devient une véritable communauté de soutien et d’amitié. 📈 Récemment, les serviettes ont participé à des événements importants à Dakar. Grâce au projet de sensibilisation aux droits du genre, cofinancé par la Fondazione Prosolidar, les serviettes sont désormais distribuées gratuitement aux jeunes filles de Pikine Est, Yeumbeul Nord, Malika.”.

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Explore how systemic barriers in special education impact students with disabilities. Learn about policy challenges, advocacy efforts, legal frameworks like IDEA, and global models promoting inclusive practices.

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2021 Theme - Strength Beyond All Odds

"Strength Beyond All Odds" is the theme for this year's International Albinism Awareness Day.

The theme was chosen to:

Highlight the achievements of people with albinism around the world.

Show that people with albinism can defy all odds.

Celebrate how people with albinism worldwide meet and exceed expectations in all domains of life.

Encourage everyone during this time of a global pandemic to join the global effort to #BuildBackBetter

What is albinism?

Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited difference present at birth. In almost all types of albinism, both parents must carry the gene for it to be passed on, even if they do not have albinism themselves. The condition is found in both sexes regardless of ethnicity and in all countries of the world. Albinism results in a lack of pigmentation (melanin) in the hair, skin and eyes, causing vulnerability to the sun and bright light. As a result, almost all people with albinism are visually impaired and are prone to developing skin cancer. There is no cure for the absence of melanin that is central to albinism.

While numbers vary, it is estimated that in North America and Europe 1 in every 17,000 to 20,000 people have some form of albinism. The condition is much more prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, with estimates of 1 in 1,400 people being affected in Tanzania and prevalence as high as 1 in 1,000 reported for select populations in Zimbabwe and for other specific ethnic groups in Southern Africa.

Health challenges of people living with albinism

The lack of melanin means persons with albinism are highly vulnerable to developing skin cancer. In some countries, a majority of persons with albinism die from skin cancer between 30 and 40 years of age. Skin cancer is highly preventable when persons with albinism enjoy their right to health. This includes access to regular health checks, sunscreen, sunglasses and sun-protective clothing. In a significant number of countries, these life-saving means are unavailable or inaccessible to them. Consequently, in the realm of development measures, persons with albinism have been and are among those "left furthest behind." Therefore, they ought to be targeted for human rights interventions in the manner envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals.

Due to a lack of melanin in the skin and eyes, persons with albinism often have permanent visual impairment. They also face discrimination due to their skin colour; as such, they are often subject to multiple and intersecting discrimination on the grounds of both disability and colour.

People with albinism and human rights

People with albinism face multiple forms of discrimination worldwide. Albinism is still profoundly misunderstood, socially and medically. The physical appearance of persons with albinism is often the object of erroneous beliefs and myths influenced by superstition, which foster their marginalization and social exclusion. This leads to various forms of stigma and discrimination.

In some communities, erroneous beliefs and myths, heavily influenced by superstition, put the security and lives of persons with albinism at constant risk. These beliefs and myths are centuries old and are present in cultural attitudes and practices around the world.

United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism

The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in 2013 ( A/HRC/RES/23/13) calling for the prevention of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism. Moreover, in response to the call from civil society organizations advocating to consider persons with albinism as a specific group with particular needs that require special attention, the Council created the mandate of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism. In June 2015, the Human Rights Council appointed Ms. Ikponwosa Ero as the first Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism.

Violence and discrimination against persons with albinism

While it has been reported that persons with albinism globally face discrimination and stigma, information on cases of physical attacks against persons with albinism is mainly available from countries in Africa.

Persons with albinism face more severe forms of discrimination and violence in those regions, where the majority of the general population are relatively dark-skinned. In other words, a greater degree of contrast in pigmentation often gives rise to a greater degree of discrimination. That appears to be the case in some sub-Saharan African countries where albinism is shrouded in myth and dangerous and erroneous beliefs. The figures on violations against persons with albinism are telling. There have been hundreds of cases of attacks and killings of persons with albinism reported in 28 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in the past decade. The attacks have several root causes including ignorance, longstanding stigma, poverty and most abhorrently, harmful practices emanating from manifestation of beliefs in witchcraft. The alarming reality is that these horrendous practices continue today.

The manner in which discrimination faced by persons with albinism manifests itself, and its severity, vary from region to region. In the western world, including North America, Europe and Australia, discrimination often consists of name-calling, persistent teasing and bullying of children with albinism. Little information is available from other regions such as Asia, South America and the Pacific etc. However, some reports indicate that in China and other Asian countries, children with albinism face abandonment and rejection by their families.

Human Rights Council - Reports

Human Rights Council - Resolutions

General Assembly
More news stories >>
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

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* The UN is not responsible for the content of external websites.

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International Albinism Awareness Day | United Nations

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"Strength Beyond All Odds" is the theme for this year's International Albinism Awareness Day. The theme was chosen to: Highlight the achievements of people with albinism around the world. Show that people with albinism can defy all odds. Celebrate how people with albinism worldwide meet and exceed expectations in all domains of life.

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Beyond Business: How a group of mothers became tailors to empower women in Senegal

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The three pillars of the project: women’s economic empowerment, access to menstrual products and women’s health and sustainability On a sandy, bustling road in Pikine, on the outskirts of Dakar, nestled between homes and small shops, there is a wide red metal door. Since 2022, this door is home of t

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Les Parcelles Assainies - Sénégal Online

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Les Parcelles Assainies est une des communes de Dakar, créée pour les moins nantis et offrir des logements abordables. - Sénégal Online

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Les colons implantent un Camp d’Avion à « Diakhao » qui devient le 1er quartier de Thiès en 1911

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ISD & Association des Mamans de Pikine Est collaboration

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ISD & Association des Mamans de Pikine Est collaboration

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The benefits of community gardens in schools

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The benefits of community gardens in schools

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Why make your school garden a community garden? Such partnerships enrich academic learning, nurture relationships, and create a positive neighborhood environment that enhances students' lives outside of school.

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY GARDEN?

A community garden is a garden that is planned, planted, maintained and sustained by individuals within a community. The "community" may be defined by physical location, such as a neighborhood or a city, or as individuals linked by a common organization or cause, such as a church or food bank.Community gardens come in all shapes and sizes. They can be as small as a raised bed in front of a town hall or library or as large as a couple of acres outside of town. They may be located on empty lots, on land owned by nonprofits or government agencies, or acreage owned collectively by the gardeners. In some community gardens, each gardener has his/her own plot to maintain; in others, gardeners work cooperatively on group plots and then share in the harvest; some offer both options.

THE BENEFITS

Individuals come together to work towards a common goal and create a focus on an activity with positive outcomes. These include:

Beautification - This makes the community a more pleasant and relaxing place to live in and improves the value of surrounding real estate.

Reduced crime - Research shows that the presence of community gardens result in decreased vandalism, littering, and crime.

Food security- Community gardens can increase the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables -- especially important in areas with limited access to grocery stores and farmers' markets.

Environmental improvements- In urban areas, gardens add to community green space, which can reduce stormwater runoff and provides habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.

Economic benefits- Community gardeners can supplement their incomes by selling produce from their plots.

Improved health- Gardening has been shown to contribute to participants' mental and physical health.

COMMUNITY GARDENS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS

Schools are often physical and logistical centers in communities. The difference between a school garden and a school-based community garden is that community members are more than just school volunteers: They're actively engaged in the organization, planning, decision making, and day-to-day maintenance of the garden. Beyond the benefits listed above for school-based community gardens, you'll also have:

A broader support network- More people mean more networking connections especially important when you're seeking funding and donations of supplies.

Many hands- There will be more people to maintain the garden -- a big help when school is out of session.

Intergenerational connections- Through positive interactions, adults and kids develop mutual respect.

Security- More eyes on the garden, especially when school is closed, decreases the likelihood of theft and vandalism.

Parental involvement- The community garden is a place to spend family time. It also gives parents who aren't comfortable or available for volunteering in the classroom or coaching sports another option for getting involved in their children's education.

GETTING STARTED

1. Get administration permission- There can be a number of challenges to starting a community garden on school grounds. Are individuals allowed to be on grounds after hours? Are gardens accessible? Is there water available? Is safety a concern? Your first step should be to find out your school district's policies on use of school grounds and have your idea approved by administrators.

2. Engage your community- Schedule brainstorming sessions, offering multiple times and dates to attract individuals with different schedules. Advertise meetings at local restaurants, businesses, and in newspapers. Send notes home with students and e-mail appropriate contacts. Ask local organizations to include an announcement in their newsletters. Get the word out as widely as possible. These initial meetings can help you gauge community interest. Does your community want a garden? Is there enough interest to begin a garden and keep it going? How should it be organized? What would you want to plant?

3. Organize your group- Dream big as a group, but also elect a smaller committee to be responsible for guiding the project. Members must be willing to take on specific responsibilities and share the load because planning a community garden is too much for one person. It's a good idea to have at least 10 families initially who are committed to your project for successful implementation and to ensure sustainability. This planning committee can later transition into a body responsible for overseeing the garden and keeping it running.

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Starting a Community Garden on School Grounds

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Community gardens can enrich academic learning, nurture relationships, and create a positive neighborhood environment that enhances students' lives outside of school.

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Growing together: unveiling the potential of school-based community gardens to foster well-being, empowerment, and sustainability - Urban Transformations

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Most urban community gardens in South Africa face challenges related to land tenure rights, often leading them to negotiate for land use in school gardens. This paper investigates the potential synergy between schools and school-based community gardens, exploring the mutually beneficial relationship that can be cultivated for both the community and students. The research contends that school-based community gardens can wield significant influence in enhancing food security and nutrition, catalyzing community development, and nurturing environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the research emphasizes the pivotal role of school-based community gardens in fostering well-being within communities, empowering students, and contributing to a more enduring food system. Employing a qualitative approach, through semi-structured interviews conducted across 13 school-based community gardens situated in low-income townships on the Cape Flats of Cape Town, this paper underscores the advantages and challenges associated with leveraging school land for community gardens. By fortifying food security, propelling community development, and cultivating environmental sustainability, school-based gardens stand poised to be transformative agents, particularly within distressed neighborhoods of Cape Town. The findings of this research hold the potential to shape the establishment of resilient food production and distribution networks, thereby contributing to a comprehensive strategy for addressing food security, community development, and environmental sustainability in a holistic manner.

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Learn about our Plastic Recycling Machine

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Learn about our Plastic Recycling Machine

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Discover the different Precious Plastic machines that help people recycle plastic around the world.

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Plastiki Rafiki is a non-profit student-led club at the International School of Kenya which is committed to cleaning up our local environment and empowering communities to earn a living by recycling plastic through creative manufacturing techniques and product design.

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Deekali Project: Turning Plastic Waste into opportunity

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Deekali Project: Turning Plastic Waste into opportunity

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Turning Plastic Waste into Opportunity in Senegal

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The Deekali Plastic Recycling Project, developed by Africa Carbon & Commodities and certified under Verra’s Plastic Waste Reduction Standard, addresses the pressing plastic pollution crisis in Senegal. Located in Thiès, this initiative engages local communities in collecting and recycling plastic waste, significantly reducing landfill overflow and preventing pollution. The project aims to transform waste management practices while promoting sustainable solutions to enhance the local environment and economy.

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SENEBOT -robotique for a better life- on Strikingly

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senebot formation en robotique au senegal

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Senegal Launches English Learning in primary schools

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Senegal Launches English Learning in primary schools

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Senegal launches English lessons in nursery and primary schools

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Senegal – which uses French in its public schools – has been testing a new programme of teaching English to nursery and primary pupils, in a push to better connect with the wider world.

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Menstrual health as catalyst for gender equality

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Menstrual health as catalyst for gender equality

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What’s the menstrual health gap and why should we close it?

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Gender equality is central to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but menstrual health is largely overlooked. Here’s how it figures in six SDGs.

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Effective English language teaching methods for young learners

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Effective English language teaching methods for young learners

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Making the TEFL classroom fun! 5 most effective TEFL teaching methods for young learners

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TEFL classroom teaching methods for young learners. Check these effective TEFL teaching methods and make TEFL classroom fun for all ages.

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Senegal Starts Introducing English in Preschools

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Since mid-January, the education ministry has been testing a program that teaches English in more than 600 nursery and primary school classes. It is part of a plan to better connect Senegal with the rest of the world.

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Create an account or log into Facebook. Connect with friends, family and other people you know. Share photos and videos, send messages and get updates.

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LA LIGUE DE PROTECTION DES ANIMAUX DAKAR — CREDO

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ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE DAKAR Ligue pour la protection des animaux - LPA Dakar: www.facebook.com/AnimalRescueLeagueDakar e-mail: arl.dakar@gmail.com   Enfin un peu de douceur dans ce monde de brutes !!! Association à but non lucratif

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Now that you have taken a look at the ACE! offerings, as an advisory- choose your top 3 questions, and submit them via this Google Form. Thank you!

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Why Robotics should be central to all Education progams

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Why Robotics should be central to all Education progams

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Sénégal - Lutte contre la discrimination des enfants albinos - Amélioration des conditions de vie des personnes albinos - PADEM

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Lutte contre la discrimination des enfants albinos – Amélioration des conditions de vie des personnes albinos État : Achevé | Nombre de bénéficiaires : plus de 200 enfants Lieu : Thiès et Dakar Partenaire local RADI (Réseau Africain pour le Développement Intégré) est une ONG panafricaine créée en 1985 par un groupe de cadres africains qui ont voulu mettre en commun leurs expériences et leur savoir-faire. Sa mission est de lutter contre la pauvreté, l’injustice et l’ignorance. Il s’est fixé comme objectifs la formation et l’organisation des populations selon une approche participative et populaire pour susciter leurs initiatives en vue de leur promotion et de leur autonomie. La problématique L’albinisme est très peu connu au Sénégal, beaucoup d’ignorance et de fausses croyances ont pour conséquence une discrimination des personnes albinos.Elles sont marginalisées et restent bien souvent isolées, et victimes d’abus.L’albinisme reste « tabou ». Les familles concernées cachent les personnes albinos dans leurs maisons, dont l’accès à l’éducation et à la santé leur est très difficile. En outre, il existe très peu de professionnels de santé spécialisés dans ce domaine au Sénégal. Actuellement, aucun recensement des personnes albinos n’a été effectué au Sénégal, ce manque d’information freine la mise en place des projets et empêche une juste appréhension du phénomène. Objectifs/activités L’objectif global du projet est de contribuer à l’amélioration des conditions de vie des albinos en particulier les enfants. Activités menées : Organisation de quatre journées de consultation médicale en médecine générale, ophtalmologie et dermatologie. Achat et distribution de médicaments. Achat et distribution de petits matériels de protection (lunettes, casquettes). Prise en charge médicale pour certaines opérations chirurgicales. Prise en charge des frais d’inscription et de scolarité d’enfants albinos. Distribution de kits de fournitures scolaires à ces enfants. Organisation de sessions de sensibilisation des enseignants sur l’albinisme. Organisation de caravanes de sensibilisation sur les droits des personnes albinos à Thiès et à Dakar. Animation d’émissions radio sur la protection et la défense des droits des personnes albinos. Organisation de rencontres de sensibilisation auprès des autorités académiques. Les bénéficiaires Bénéficiaires directs : plus de 200 enfants Bénéficiaires indirects : plus de 200 familles ainsi que le reste de la population sensibilisée à l’albinisme.

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LAKUTOTO | Link Utama Situs Toto Terkini dan Agen Slot Mudah Menang Wajib Profit

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LAKUTOTO adalah situs toto dengan link utama bermain togel dan slot paling mudah menang dengan modal minimal 5000 saja main sebentar wajib profit bisa langsung withdraw.

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Le port de Ndayane : entre ambition économique et préoccupations locales – Au Sénégal, le cœur du Sénégal

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Au cœur de la Petite Côte, les travaux de construction du port de Ndayane initié par le gouvernement sénégalais ont débuté. Bien qu’il soit porteur de promesses économiques, il soulève des…

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La belle initiative de l’association Nikki Solidarité

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En ces temps de morosité ambiante où les mauvaises nouvelles affluent, LePetitjournal.com de Dakar décide de conjurer le sort et de mettre en avant de belles initiatives.

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Recycling initiatives in Senegal | Plastic Odyssey

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Plastic Odyssey met recycling entrepreneurs in Senegal. Here are some examples of initiatives encountered during our stopover.

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Under the Same Sun | Helping People with Albinism

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Through education and advocacy, Under the Same Sun is working towards a future where people with albinism overcome deadly discrimination.

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The harmful effects of sun on people with albinism

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The harmful effects of sun on people with albinism

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On stage, Sixmond Mdeka goes by the name Ras Six. He is a successful reggae singer in his homeland of Tanzania, yet despite his fame, he is haunted by another name - East Africa Yellow Man.

Mdeka has albinism - his skin, hair and eyes lack melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour and helps to protect it from damage by ultraviolet light from the Sun. It is a genetic disorder inherited from parents who both carry a faulty gene that prevents the skin from making melanin properly.

Tanzania has a dark relationship with albinism. Witch doctors hunt those suffering from the condition for their body parts, which are used in potions to bring good luck and wealth. Victims can be kidnapped and then dismembered by hired killers, or even sold by unscrupulous family members, with body parts fetching up to $75,000 (£60,000). The UN estimates around 80 people with albinism in Tanzania have been murdered since 2000.

But these brutal attacks are not the greatest threat to people with albinism in Africa. They face a slower death from a disease known as the "silent killer". Without melanin to protect them, they have a much higher risk of getting skin cancer.

"When you have no melanin, no protection, you're just getting dinged, these insults from the UV radiation, you're getting it all the time. It's not just when you're at the beach," says Dr Marc Glashofer, a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.

"The closer to the equator you are, the stronger the Sun, the stronger the rays, the more risk of skin cancer."

Albinism groups say more than 90% of people with the condition in Africa die before they reach 40-years-old. Mdeka is that age now - and the clock is ticking on his life. Last September the singer needed an operation to remove a melanoma near his left ear. "Sun is our number one enemy," he says.

But in the shadow of Africa's highest mountain, there is an attempt to give a lifeline to people like Mdeka. Kilimanjaro Suncare, or "Kilisun", is a sunscreen that has been specially designed for people with albinism. However, getting it to the right people - and encouraging them to use it - is far from straightforward.

The Kilimanjaro Sunscreen Production Unit, based in Moshi on the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro, produced 15,000 jars of Kilisun last year, says Mafalda Soto Valdes, the Spanish pharmacist who developed Kilisun with Tanzania's Regional Dermatology Training Centre.

Wiping some of the cream on her hand, Soto Valdes explains how Kilisun is thicker than normal consumer products while also being more resistant to water and heat. It has an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30+, and the pharmacist says people with albinism need to put two milligrams per square inch of skin, twice a day.

That's like a "tequila shot" of sunscreen for the exposed parts of the body says Glashofer, who thinks SPF 30+ is the minimum needed to protect people with albinism in Africa.

But using so much sunscreen so often is beyond the means of most people. "In Tanzania we're talking about a country where 80% of the population lives with less than $1.50 a day," says Soto Valdes. "And the cost of sunscreen is around $10, $15."

That's for a bottle of normal consumer sunscreen that lasts two months. Soto Valdes says a bottle giving the kind of protection people with albinism need can be as much as $20.

Most sunscreens in Africa are imported or donated. The continent's largely black population has less need for protection because dark skin - which has more melanin - doesn't burn as quickly.

The sunscreen industry in Tanzania, however, is growing to protect its albino population, which is greater than in most other parts of the continent. Although there have been no wide-ranging studies, it's generally thought that around one in 1,400 people have albinism in Tanzania, while in most other parts of Africa it occurs in one in every 5,000 to 15,000 people. With a population of around 50 million people, that makes albinism a major public health issue in Tanzania. In Europe and North America, by comparison, albinism is estimated to only affect between one in 17,000 and one in 20,000 of the population.

When Kilisun came out in 2012 it was used to help 25 children. Now it's given free to 2,800 people at clinics that take place every four months. Over half of those receiving the cream are children.

Mdeka can tell you that beating skin cancer starts when you're young. His family rejected him because of his white skin - he was seen as a curse and spent his childhood living on the streets.

"I used to go all around the town without protective clothing," he recalls. "I was burned by the Sun everywhere."

Life on the streets set Mdeka on a dangerous path, which led to the melanoma on his ear following his battle with the Sun.

Mdeka was able to get an operation for his melanoma at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in Moshi, which is a general hospital. The only specialised hospital for cancer treatment in Tanzania is the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in the capital Dar es Salaam.

Children with albinism, and their parents, often don't know about the importance of wearing hats, sunglasses, long sleeves and sunscreen, says Peter Ash, a Canadian with albinism whose charity Under the Same Sun helped raise funds for the Kilisun factory in Moshi.

"We've actually had some parents who will take their children with albinism and put them out in the Sun to darken them up," says Ash. "They're trying to cause them to blend in and make them look normal. So they get all these dark-coloured lesions and they [the parents] think, 'Oh good, they're improving,' when actually they're getting skin cancer."

The Kilisun team is trying to address this by spending time and funds educating sunscreen users and their families. They are also trying to teach health workers and teachers about the risks of skin cancer and the best way to protect against it, says Soto Valdes, as she continues her Kilisun demonstration.

The cream she wipes on her hand during her demonstration leaves a white smear - the robust formula, a water in oil emulsion, isn't designed to look good and blend into the skin like most sunscreens.

That might limit Kilisun's appeal in some parts of the world, says Dr Andrew Birnie, a dermatologist at East Kent Hospitals in the UK, but in Africa, "the mentality is that they want to be able to see and feel that they have something on."

Kilisun doesn't reach all parts of Tanzania - and finding funds to care for more people is one of Kilisun's ongoing challenges. Mdeka uses his music to raise money to buy cream, hats and sunglasses for those who can't afford them.

Skin cancer has killed most of the important people in the singer's life: his mother, father, sister - and last year, his brother. "He knew how to protect himself," says Mdeka. "But it's very hard to sit in the shaded places waiting while [he didn't] have anything to eat. He was not employed."

Poverty trapped Mdeka's brother in a vicious circle, as it does many people living with albinism in Africa. "They end up working outside, peddling or trading or farming," says Ikponwosa Ero, the UN Independent Expert on albinism. "And that exposes them to skin cancer."

At the moment, Kilisun relies on donations from big corporations and international NGOs to continue providing cream to those who need it. The Tanzanian government also helps by providing staff.

Kilisun's work is part of a growing understanding around Africa about the dangers of the Sun. In 2015, the government in neighbouring Kenya said it would spend around $1.5 million (£1.2 million) to provide free Sun care products to over 3,000 people with albinism. And earlier last year it was reported that a Senegal-based company had produced 5,000 sample bottles of a new sunscreen.

But having enough of the product and being able to distribute it to those in need are not the only challenges. Even if sunscreen were available all across Africa at an affordable price, some people with albinism might not use it.

Twenty-two-year old Ismaili Ally from Dar es Salaam could be one of those people. At the moment he prefers to visit a traditional healer, believing oils and ointments made from plants and trees are the best way to fend off skin cancer.

That's where Vicky Ntetema, who runs Under the Same Sun in Tanzania, sees another vicious circle involving skin cancer. "It's ironic that witch doctors are after them [people with albinism] and they will still go to witch doctors to find the cure for cancer," she says.

Ally's healer Abdul Aziz insists there's a big difference between his traditional remedies and witchcraft. Ally uses the products to treat the damage the Sun has already done to his skin. "The medicines are good," he says. "When I use them, the rashes and wounds dry up within one week."

Soto Valdes, however, insists that prevention is always going to be better than a cure. She hopes the Tanzanian government will start buying Kilisun so the cream can reach all parts of the country. She also plans to take Kilisun to another African country - Malawi is one being considered - and bringing out a stronger cream with SPF 50+.

Gradually, albinism's silent killer is starting to be heard.

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On stage, Sixmond Mdeka goes by the name Ras Six. He is a successful reggae singer in his homeland of Tanzania, yet despite his fame, he is haunted by another name - East Africa Yellow Man.

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Tanzanian BBC reporter Vicky Ntetema regularly contributed to international news programs, but never expected her life to become a part of the story. That changed when Ntetema uncovered East Africa's dark secret: many traditional witchdoctors were responsible for the many brutal attacks and murders of Tanzanians with albinism. How the deaths and her investigation exposed uncomfortable truths about the culture, government, and the nature of skin color in Africa.

Guests

Vicky Ntetema Reporter in Tanzania, formerly with BBC; also, Executive Director for Media and International Affairs, Under The Same Sun (UTSS)Tanzania

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