Mr and Miss Albinism Africa — Harare Pageant Spotlights Rights, Jobs and Health Needs

Harare’s Mr and Miss Albinism Africa pageant spotlighted inclusion, health, and employment rights for people with albinism across Africa (image source)

A first-of-its-kind continental pageant in Harare this week crowned Miss Albinism Africa and placed a business-facing spotlight on the systemic barriers facing people with albinism across the continent. Organised by the Zimbabwean advocacy group Albinism Dare to Dream Initiative, the event drew contestants from Angola, Botswana, Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe to a packed hotel venue for an evening of culture, testimony, and advocacy.

The pageant deliberately positioned itself as more than a beauty contest. Organiser Brenda Mudzimu, who has albinism, said the goal was to lift visibility while pushing for concrete interventions — better access to dermatological and ophthalmic care, inclusive employment policies, and protection against violence and discrimination. Contestants modelled traditional and professional attire to underline both cultural identity and economic aspiration.

“The need for greater awareness is still great,” Mudzimu told delegates. “Despite anti-discrimination laws, people with albinism face violence and many struggle to find work because of prejudice.”

The event also served as a soft-launch for advocacy priorities requiring government funding and private-sector partnerships. Contestant stories brought the statistics to life. Daniella Garrick (21) of Sierra Leone described persistent stigma despite her academic achievements, while Kenyan contestant John Ngaita spoke of harassment and fears linked to ritual attacks that continue to claim lives in parts of the region. Both called for employment pathways and social protection that extend beyond symbolic gestures.

Health needs emerged as a central theme. Contestants highlighted limited access to sun-protective creams, quality sunglasses, and regular eye care — essentials that, when unmet, drive up long-term medical costs and reduce employability. Organisers urged donors and health insurers to include subsidised dermatology and ophthalmology packages for people with albinism within national health systems.

What Business and Government Can Do:

Organisers proposed a coordinated response leveraging both public budgets and private investment:

•Expand subsidised medical services and include albinism-specific care in national health packages.

•Create employment schemes guaranteeing interviews or quota placements for qualified candidates with albinism.

•Build brand partnerships with fashion and cosmetics firms to promote inclusive products and offer ambassador roles to contestants.

•Fund community education campaigns with measurable stigma-reduction targets and annual reporting.

Such interventions could transform visibility into tangible economic gains — lower healthcare costs, higher labour participation, and new social-enterprise opportunities linked to inclusion campaigns and diversity branding.

The pageant concluded with Daniella Garrick crowned Miss Albinism Africa. For the winners and contestants, the real challenge begins now: converting visibility into sustained advocacy, donor support, and measurable policy outcomes.

“Here we feel safe,” Garrick said after receiving the crown. “We share the same struggle and understand each other. That gives strength.”

For businesses, donors, and policymakers, the message was clear: investing in the health, education, and employment of people with albinism is smart economics, not charity. When inclusion reduces medical costs, expands the talent pool, and opens niche markets, the returns are both social and financial.

Harare’s pageant provided the spectacle — the next step is ensuring it becomes a launchpad for lasting change through budgets, partnerships, and jobs.