The Hunted Albino Children Of Tanzania Have Been Moved To New York

Albinism in humans is from the Latin word albus, "white", also called achromia, achromasia, or achromatosis, is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes due to absence or defect of tyrosinase, a copper-containing enzyme involved in the production of melanin. It is the opposite of melanism

 

Tanzania has the highest rate of albinism in the world. 1 in 1,500 children are born with the condition compared to just 1 in 17,000 in most other parts of the world. While albinism is socially difficult to live with anywhere in the world, for the thousands living in Tanzania it means persecution and possible mutilation.

 

Elissa Montanti, founder of the Global Medical Relief Fund, saw their plight and took five Tanzanian albinos to New York where they were given new prosthetic limbs and training in how to use them.

 

Emmanuel Rutema, Kabula Masanja, Pendo Noni, Baraka Lusambo and Mwigulu Magesa, aged between 5 and 17, have been in New York since June and will remain there until they are fully proficient with their new appendages. Viralthread