TIMOTHY Goche, president of the Rotary Club of Chitungwiza, has challenged creatives in and around Chitungwiza to help in raising awareness on members of society living with albinism.
Following a very low turnout of people to memorialise the Albinism Awareness Day, celebrated every June 13 at the CITIMED Hospital in the dormitory town, Goche emphasised that his organisation, the Rotary Club of Chitungwiza, which is a subsidiary of the Rotary Club International, has an open-door policy, adding that if resources permit, would fund their existing projects, including artistry as a way to transform society.
Albinism is a condition characterised by a pinkish skin caused by the absence of melanin.
Albinos need help with sunscreen oils, sunglasses, sunhats and user-friendly information technologies.
Goche told NewsDay Life & Style that: “This June 13, the International Day on Albinism Awareness, we have in stock over 500 bottles of sunscreen oil ready for distribution at the Chitungwiza CITIMED Hospital.
“Those with skin diseases will be attended to by specialists.
“The CITIMED Hospital provides facilities for eye screening and removal of skin lesions.”
Goche expressed excitement for the achievements they made in this year’s awareness on albinism.
“This year in our initiation towards disease prevention, control and management we have brought in a number of partners to distribute over five hundred bottles of sunscreen lotions to alleviate the plight of people living with albinism.
“As we celebrate the International Day on Albinism Awareness. We are donating sunscreen lotions and we are also sharing knowledge on other issues of concern. Our database has over 500 people with albinism and we are fully prepared to cater for them all,” he said.
Goche suggested that the creative sector should submit proposals for partnering with the Rotary Club of Chitungwiza in raising awareness on albinism including on development issues.
“We have a motto that says: Engage Rotary and change lives. We always appeal to people and the corporate world to engage or partner with us on anything that they consider worth it for the purposes of improving a peoples lifestyles.
“Rotary has an open door policy, people just need to approach us.”
Albinos usually faced challenges such as shortsight, skin rashes and as a solution to this cause, Goche appealed to the society and schools to cooperate in the provisions of conducive environments.
“Albinism does not limit one to achieve anything. We now have professionals in our database and we are currently offering training programmes to people living with albinism so that they have better incomes.
“Some have already graduated from college and are looking for employment. As for now, we do not have any other scholarships for continuing education other than the journalism scholarship awarded to a member of albino society who wishes to study peace, leadership and governance.”
Chitungwiza Rotarians run the Heartline Project, which sends people with heart problems for surgery to India.
The Rotary Club of Chandigarh in India has so far provided surgery for over 16 people who have heart disease-related complications.
Munyaradzi Mhlanga, the CITIMED Group of Hospitals spokesperson, blamed the low turnout on lack of access to information by members of the albino society.
Richard Barura, from Bon Vie Medical Aid Society, encouraged members of the albino society to invest in a medical aid scheme so that they lessen the burden of medical fees.
