Lifestyle
Albino witchcraft victims return to Tanzania with prosthetic limbs
Tanzanian albino children whose limbs were hacked off by witch doctors return home after surgery in U.S but still fear for their safety
A group of Tanzanian albino children whose limbs were hacked off by witchdoctors who believed their body parts bring good luck and wealth returned home from the U.S with new prosthetic limbs.
The homecoming is certainly not an entirely happy one as the children still fear for their lives after the harrowing experiences they went through.
Following the attacks, the children aged between five and 17, were flown to Shriners Hospitals for Children in Philadelphia in June for treatment on their horrific injuries and also to be fitted with prosthetics, DailyMail reports.
17 year-old Ms Kabula Masanja being prepared for a presthetic limb at the Shriners Hospital for Children in the US. Flanking her is Lance Harms (L) and Luis Velasquez (R). Photo: Citizen/Agencies
Ester Rwela, a social worker who accompanied the children noted that, the ugly truth is some parents are conspirators to these tragic acts because “they still believe their children are cursed”.
The father of one of the children, five-year-old Baraka Cosmas Lusambo was arrested after part of the little boy’s right arm was sliced off last March amid ear-piercing screams.
It is disheartening to note that albinos are still widely ‘hunted’ in Tanzania by witch doctors. Both children and adults are kidnapped and have their body parts hacked off to be used in good luck charms. BBC recently reported that, “more than 200 witch doctors have been arrested so far in the killings of Tanzanians with albinism”.
However, the attacks continue and, according to BBC ,“witchdoctors are prepared to pay $75,000 for a complete set of albino body parts”.
Meanwhile, American actor and director Tyler Perry is reported to have donated $200,000 to help build a new home for a group of albino children from Tanzania while they receive medical treatment in the U.S.
