Communities have different members and this diversity has its own share of challenges. At Gaaspp we focus on people with albinism and the aged. Time and again people with albinism face unprecedented challenges ranging from social discrimination, family rejection, limited sun protection, no income source for those from humble backgrounds and biases at levels no normal member of a community can contain.
We felt it was right for inclusion, it was right for all to live as dignified humans and it was right to improve quality of life. We did seek to improve the lives of people living with albinism through demystifying the community mindset by advocating for their rights, capacity building for them to sustain themselves through learnt skills, maintaining their hygiene and provision of basic needs. It is from these pillars that we managed to build a shift in perception in the community as our members started impacting the communities around them as some of members rehabilitated water points. Clean and safe water that was previously a hard reach for majority of the community, was now an easy access. The moment the water borne diseases cases started reducing due to the safe water points, the communities started valuing more people with albinism. Other skills have been taught to the people with albinism and these skills has impacted the community as women are trained on basket making and beadwork therefore able to earn a living, schools have received their furniture made by our members and are able to continue with normal education, houses have been constructed by our members and all types of soap is made therefore communities and schools around are able to maintain good hygiene.
This translates to income to our members and good product/service delivery that previously was thought as impossible. Our members are well versed in different skills and are able to train others under the trainer of trainee program.
There has been a mind shift in the community and therefore we are able to build champions who can now help to push their communities to next level, something that was previously thought to be impossible.

(LinkedIn article from 28th October 2022)