A beautiful 19-year-old girl who is living with albinism, Engedzani Ndou from Dzimauli village, is very optimistic that she will impress the judges during the Mr and Miss Albinism South Africa Beauty Pageant to be held in September this year.
Engedzani said that despite the fact that some people still looked down on them because of how they looked, she knew that she was young, vibrant and beautiful.
On Tuesday (13 June) International Albinism Awareness Day was celebrated, to highlight the plight of people living with the genetic condition.
When asked if a stigma still existed about people living with albinism, Engedzani said that some people still regarded them as half-human beings, but things were better than before. She added that during her younger days, things had been really tough.
"I have two brothers who are also living with albinism. People used to laugh at us wherever we went. Even old people used to call us names. There was a time when I used to spend all my weekends at home, as I was afraid of being called names. I was also afraid of being abducted and killed for ritual purposes. I never thought that one day, I would live in an environment where I would feel safe and loved," she said.
However, her life took a turn when her parents enrolled her in St Augustine, a private school. There she received acceptance and respect from most of her fellow students, although a few continued to taunt her. Currently, Engedzani is a first-year student at the University of Limpopo, pursuing a B. Pharm degree. Her university experience has exposed her to various opportunities, including participation in beauty contests. She has gained knowledge about suitable skin care products and encourages others with albinism to invest in quality products, as she can personally attest to their effectiveness.
Engedzani aspires to delve deeper into understanding albinism and wishes to advocate for the concerns she has suppressed for years. She has vowed never to remain silent when witnessing mistreatment of individuals with albinism. Engedzani is determined to fight for their rights until the world fully accepts them as equals.
For those interested in supporting Engedzani, they can vote for her by sending a "hi" message to her number, 060-6977993, to receive the voting link. Voting is free of charge.