From Libros de las Malas Compañías we want to claim, today 13th June, the International Albinism Awareness Day.
The aim of this day is to raise global awareness and eradicate the erroneous beliefs and myths that affect the albino population in different territories.
According to the United Nations, albinism is a rare and, most importantly, non-contagious inherited genetic disease that occurs worldwide, regardless of ethnicity or gender. It is characterised by an absence of pigmentation, that is, melanin, in areas of the body such as the hair, skin and eyes. This medical condition not only makes the appearance of people with albinism different, but also causes them to have several health problems due to the lack of natural protection they have from sunlight.
In addition to medical problems, people with albinism are subjected to a great deal of discrimination, as their different appearance makes them victims of numerous superstitions and myths that are not true. In certain territories, this situation is serious, as physical differences between pigmented and albino people are even greater. Here mafias have taken advantage of these superstitions and discriminations to profit from the kidnapping, mutilation and rape of people with albinism, among other actions.
At Libros de las Malas Compañías we want not only to raise awareness of this problem, but also to do our bit to bring about change and improve the lives of these people. For this reason, through our book Los cuentos del conejo y otros cuentos de la gente albina de Mozambique, we support the Attendance Center for people with albinism, run by the Mercedarias Sisters of Maputo in T3 with the support of Africa Direct.
In addition to this selection of stories, collected by Ana C. Herreros from people with albinism in Maputo and illustrated in the workshops that Daniel Tornero carried out with the children of the Mercedarias Sisters' Centre in the summers of 2017 and 2018, in the summer of 2021 we returned to Maputo to launch Macaco. It is a Mozambican song made into a cloth book, sewn in the same centre by women with albinism, who are learning the trade of seamstress, users of this centre who do not have access to the labour market due to their albino condition.
We encourage you to follow this project and many others that try to help people with albinism around the world.
