Four Tanzanian children with albinism who lost limbs, fingers, and teeth in superstition-driven attacks made their way home this week after receiving prosthetics - and a dose of confidence - in the United States.
The children, ages 7, 14, 15 and 16, were treated free of charge at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.
Their travel and housing expenses were covered by the Global Medical Relief Fund, a New York-based charity that helps children who have been injured in conflicts or disasters.
“When they come here, they have lost so much. They have lost part of their youth and part of their dignity,” said Elissa Montanti, founder of the fund, who housed them in the New York City borough of Staten Island.
“We put them back together,” she said. “When they go back, they have a stronger sense of empowerment.”
To stay in the United States, the children would have to file for asylum, and the fund can only afford to pay for the them while they receive medical care, Montanti said.
Albinism is a congenital disorder that causes lack of pigment in skin, hair and eyes. According to the World Health Organization, in sub-Saharan Africa 1 in 5,000 to 15,000 people could be affected.
In Tanzania, it affects about 1 in 1,400.
Albinos are attacked for their body parts, which are highly prized in witchcraft and can fetch a high price. Superstition leads many people in Tanzania to believe that albinos are ghosts who bring bad luck.
The United Nations estimates that at least 75 albinos were killed in Tanzania between 2000 and 2015 but says that could represent a fraction of the attacks as most occur in secretive rituals in rural areas.
