Preparing for June 13 #madetoshine

June 13 is the annual International Albinism Awareness Day or IAAD; the day to welcome special and growing international attention on the human rights situation of persons with albinism. IAAD is also brought to life to recognise the importance of increasing awareness and understanding of albinism in order to fight against global discrimination and stigma against persons with albinism. The theme for this year is #madetoshine.

And the Malian Association for the Protection of People with Albinism or AMPA does a great job in getting ready to shine for #madetoshine!

AMPA has been working with its members – all people with albinism- to tell their own story In the form of a spoken word or slam – a skill which they picked up from working with Agoratoire -another Voice partner in Mali. The stories are about school drop-outs, young love, dreams and hope. But made all so much more complicated because of who they are – which in their own view doesn’t have to be the case.  Rather it is their environment that makes it unnecessarily difficult! While first their slams were practiced in small groups, for IAAD 2020 they are now ready to go public!  

Aichatou Coulibaly slams about why staying in school is so difficult with being bullied by her fellow students and teachers alike. But still she pleads for her right to education as an important tool to turn this stigma around!

Assitan Traore tells the story of being in a happy relationship for 7 years until she was introduced to the family of her fiancée and everything changed. She self-advocates for her right to happiness, the right to belong and that she is ass much African as anyone else.

And finally Aichatou Sidibe slams to advocate against the ritual killing of people with albinism – a practice which is especially prevalent during election period as we reported in 2017’s case of Ramata Diarra.  

Enjoy! #Madetoshine