Zimbabwe today joins the rest of the world celebrate International Albinism Awareness Day.
The day is commemorated on 13 June every year.
This year it is being celebrated under the theme Strength Beyond All Odds.
The theme celebrates achievements by people living with albanism.
Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited difference present at birth.
In almost all types of albinism, both parents must carry the gene for it to be passed on, even if they do not have albinism themselves.
As stated by the United Nations, the condition is found in both sexes regardless of ethnicity and in all countries of the world.
Albinism results in a lack of pigmentation (melanin) in the hair, skin and eyes, causing vulnerability to the sun and bright light.
As a result, almost all people with albinism are visually impaired and are prone to developing skin cancer.
There is no cure for the absence of melanin that is central to albinism.
-Zwnews
