Oculocutaneous albinism is a recessive genetic condition that causes a lack of pigmentation in the hair, skin and eyes, and affects as many as 1 in 1400 people in sub-Saharan Africa. The absence of the pigment melanin means that people with albinism face an increased risk of skin cancer and are visually impaired.

People with albinism are disproportionately affected by poverty and face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination on the grounds of disability and colour. They are often excluded from education and employment, and disabled by poverty, poor healthcare and social security structures.

The visibility of albinism in Africa has inspired myths and beliefs that can lead to discrimination, in turn limiting the potential of people with albinism to be accepted in and contribute to their communities.

At the most extreme, these beliefs are manipulated for economic gain, resulting in ritual attacks that violate their human rights. Since 2006, more than 600 attacks, including over 200 killings, have been recorded in 27 sub-Saharan African countries by the NGO Under the Same Sun, although many attacks go unreported.

In Cameroon, several local organisations are working to advocate for people with albinism, including the Association pour la Promotion des Albinos au Cameroun (Association for the promotion of people with albinism in Cameroon) and the Association des Femmes Albinos de Cameroun (Association of Albino Women of Cameroon).

Equally, writers such as Nsah Mala are working to change attitudes towards people with albinism in Cameroon through their creative writing. These extracts are taken from his children’s story, Andolo, l’albinos talentueux (2020).