Project Mozambique
What is albinism, and how does it affect one’s life?
Albinism is a genetic condition that affects the production of melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and/or eyes. People with albinism have difficulties with low vision (caused by a different type of development in the retina and nerve connections between the eye and brain). In addition to this, there is a high risk factor (1,000 times more likely in Sub-Saharan Africa) for developing cancer due to their fair skin complexions. However, struggles with the genetic condition are not limited to general functions and reactions of an individual’s body. In Mozambique, overwhelming amounts of people with albinism, especially children, are marginalised in educational and social spheres. The children who are able to go to school do not have access to glasses, learning material with an appropriate font size for their impaired eyesight, or extra exam time. Furthermore, with long distances between home and school, as well as physical education requirements at school, those with albinism spend extended periods of time outdoors where the sun continues to damage their skin. In other cases, poverty and fear of violence prevents some from attending school, therefore, they begin manual labour beneath harmful UV rays. With the lack of education among this group of people, it increases the difficulty when seeking employment in the future to achieve their goals. Nonetheless, spending time at home does not guarantee safety; sometimes their own communities (including family) are complicit in bullying, abuse, and trafficking schemes.
The Young Ambassadors Mozambique objectives in collaboration with the association Amor À Vida, we aim to tackle the aforementioned issues from a variety of angles including, education, healthcare, social support, and policy reform. At the moment, Amor À Vida does not have any offices, they are made up of volunteering team. However, many of our objectives can be carried out remotely, and Amor À Vida can communicate with local schools in Maputo, Mozambique, to discover more tutoring opportunities.
Goals and Solutions
Tutoring
• Communicate with Amor À Vida to find groups of students or schools where we can provide tutoring.
• Reach out to international schools in Mozambique (in particular, Maputo) about tutoring opportunities; prioritize bilingual English-Portuguese speakers.
• Create academic content suited to the needs of the students/abilities of the tutors — keep in mind the low visibility of albino children when presenting texts and images.
Fundraising
• Set up collection events for people to donate any clothing, hats, sunglasses, etc. for solar protection. Another option is to gather second-hand books — ones with smaller text can be resold to raise funds, while others with appropriate funds can serve as additional educational content. Fundraising
• Create a fundraising page (e.g. GoFundMe) to raise money to acquire protective gear against UV rays, educational resources, and basic medical equipment.
• Decide what our goal will be, and promote the donation page on social media sites/newsletters (can be done through the organization’s platforms, volunteers’ personal platforms, and communicating with others). Encourage everyone to share and gain more engagement.
Information Sessions & Content
• Create educational/promotional content that can be uploaded to the pages of World Family Children Foundation and Amor À Vida (accompanied with the appropriate translations).
• Collaborate with Milton Mujavo to create webinars and information sessions about the organisation's progress, tutor training, and raising awareness about the issues.
• Work with educators by teaching them pedagogical techniques for better understanding and communication in the classroom.
About the Project Leader
Camila Guerrero
“Throughout my life, I have moved from country to country, never knowing where I would go next. During my experiences abroad, I saw the variety of inequalities children faced in educational spheres. Upon hearing that I would be going to Mozambique, I immediately began the search for volunteer possibilities. Finally, I found Milton Mujovo’s association, Amor à Vida, and I knew this was the perfect opportunity to make a difference in my newfound community — and Young Ambassadors Mozambique was born! Our partnership strives to improve educational support, promote human rights protection, shape public policy, and provide healthcare means for children with albinism. I am thankful for the World Family Children Foundation for providing me with all the necessary tools and assistance to make this dream a reality!”
