Day Seven - Visiting a Boarding School for Children with Albinism

Today Delphine took me to Misungwi, Mwanza where we had to get special permission from a council member - and bring along a representative - to visit a boarding school the Tanzanian government opened primarily for children in the area born with albinism. The school also houses children with visual impairment, hearing impairment, and mental deficiencies. All of these children are basically rejected from society, but here the teachers provide them with an education and safety. Local children also attend this school so the special needs students may be integrated with society. I have included some photos from a few of the classes I visited. The one with only 4 students is a class of visually impaired students and I was able to see how they wrote in Braille.

The head Special Education teacher provided me with a list of resources the school could use to face their many challenges. As I walked around my hands were quickly held by a little boy no older than 3 and a girl of about 6. I was told a baby - 1 1/2 years old - had just been left under their care, for her own safety. Although they are kept safe, they are without their families. Visiting this school was an eye-opener and made me truly realize how lucky I am as an educator in Ontario.
I was interested in the plight of children with albinism before I even came to Tanzania. It is a heartbreaking story that is so unbelievable to even exist in today's society, let alone in the very area where I am staying. If you're interested, check out a fellow Canadian's efforts to help these children through his organization "Under the Same Sun".
Below is a picture of me meeting with the chairman of the local Albino Society in Mwanza and his wife, to discuss the many challenges they face to assist the over 16,000 albino people of Tanzania whose lives are threatened on a daily basis.