Abdulrahim King, the coordinator of the Association of Gambia Albinos (AGA), said unlike albinos in eastern Africa who face extreme social exclusion and live in danger of ritual sacrifices, “we in Gambia do not face that plight”.
“But we do not want to be complacent over the present happy trend and which is why we are holding an awareness day to campaign against negative stereotypes and myths about albinism,” Mr. King is quoted as saying by the local media on Thursday
The Association’s president Mr Gibairu Janneh, has announced that they will stage a national albinism awareness day in the capital, Banjul on 5 April 2014, “to champion the rights and dignity” of albinos.
Government officials, civil society actors as well as members of the Disabled Peoples Organisations, the media and the general public will join them “to discuss, explore and fully understand the realities about albinism”.
AGA was set up in October 2012 to advocate, coordinate and support persons with albinism in the country where they number about 500 in an overall population of approximately 1.8 million .
