There are 33,000 people with albinism in Tanzania – albinism is a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and hair which appears white and the eyes that usually are pink.  Over the years, superstitions have led to a wave of grisly albino killings, dismemberments and even grave robberies.  At least 76 Tanzanian albinos have been murdered in the last decade; 72 others have survived attacks, often with severe mutilations.     

In answer to this horrific circumstance, Tanzania-based Rotarians have partnered with local individuals and groups to dispel the myths that have led to so many murders through literature that has been distributed in primary schools across the country and have touched on nearly every aspect of the condition itself.

Club to club projects in several districts have supported albino students with mattresses, mosquito nets, vision aids, hats and sunscreen and financed livelihood-building projects in remote communities.  A current grant, active since late 2015 has focused on education. It  has supported more than seventy community outreach meetings and has focused on cancer prevention and treatment that affects the albino through training health workers and providing medical equipment. In five Tanzanian hospitals Rotary provided cryotherapy instruments and flasks of nitrogen, which are highly effective in removing precancerous lesions.