I came here the first time three years ago
and I joined some of the mobile clinics that the department was running
and it was very shocking to see persons with albinism with less than thirty years,
twenty years, with huge
skin cancer. So the thing that prompted me more to do something is this -
the obvious need - like, there was a a need to really...to develop something here.
In Tanzania and in other parts of East Africa, there is
no need of sun protection. The need of sun protection is
limited to persons with albinism and xeroderma pigmentosum,
so, there is no availability of sunscreen.
The sunscreen is limited
to donations and importation of commercial products, making the access super limited.
That, from the RDTC, which is the Regional Dermatologic Training Center
which is a referral dermatology unit within Kilimanjaro region.
This hospital has been running a project to support
persons with albinism in the last twenty years.
I was shocked about it.
Seeing hundreds and hundreds of patients with albinism below 30, 20 years old,
with very advanced skin cancer and very little to do.
So really, from the department and also from myself,
like we agreed that we have to do something with prevention. Prevention is
a must and also at the end of the day
even for the health system it's much cheaper
to prevent, to do things on-time than to to wait until it's too late and very dramatic.
There is no
market for sunscreen here. Everything relies on donation, everything relies
on importation of commercial products, so the people don't have access.
That's what prompted the department to start doing something locally.
But we needed some counsel, we needed some advice and support from
organizations and we approached organizations, we approached individuals,
and at the same time individuals and organizations approached us.
Actually, more than fifty percent of our energy is posed in the distribution system.
These clinics are also expanding to other areas of Tanzania,
mainly on the Lake Victoria shore.
With the support of Standing Voice, we are training
community dermatologists, so that empowers them and they are able to
continue with the
services in the future and that's another way of entry with our
sunscreens.
And then another way, is there are
more than 400 children with albinism, schooled in
inclusive centers, also on the lakeshore - many of the children are supported by
Under The Same Sun,
and they are in these special centers due to safety reasons.
And also we are distributing there.
And apart from the distribution we're doing a lot of...
highlighting a lot the education -
how, where, why to apply....
Not only the beneficiaries but also the caregivers, the dermatologists, the community,
development officers, because like,
they need really to know the "why" of applying it.
And also because we don't believe that, you know, in just
giving things for free, they can be taken for granted.
We are also asking them to return the containers and at the same time
we are recycling it, so it saves cost and also protects the environment.
We assess the compliance and and also we are encouraging responsibility.
They see that their skin is improving, they see that...
there is an outcome, a direct outcome,
coming out of it. And then also, when your skin looks better,
you look healthier,
also you project something good to the others and it comes back to you
and helps you to raise your self-esteem, which in persons with albinism
is usually low.