To commemorate Skin Cancer Awareness Month, this special story celebrates the incredible life of Alphonce: a man with albinism from Tanzania and a member of the Standing Voice family, whose life was taken by skin cancer last year. Alphonce was a force on Ukerewe Island and his legacy will be cherished for years to come.
I was born in 1959 in Nansio Town on Ukerewe Island, Tanzania. I was one of eight siblings, four of whom had albinism. Our albinism strengthened the love we had in our family and our parents cared for us all the same. We were one of the only families to have children with albinism on the island so we became well known in our community.
I did not attend school until I was 15. I was the oldest student in a class of more than 60. I started so late because I was fearful of being teased by other children. Contrary to my expectations, however, there was no stigma at school. Students had become accustomed to people with albinism, especially considering my brothers with albinism had already attended the same school. Despite struggling in the classroom due to my low vision, I still managed to attain good grades and was elected head prefect.
It was not until my father died when I was 18 that I began to notice our relatives treating us differently. My cousin did not want me and my siblings with albinism to play outside when guests were visiting the house. He said it would be embarrassing for strangers to see us. From time to time, when we weren’t at school, we would be locked inside. My mother did not approve of the way our relatives treated us but when she wasn’t around, that was our life. It was an extremely hard time, especially as my father had been the main breadwinner for the home.
“Neighbours would come by the house under the premise of saying hello, especially when our parents weren’t home, but in reality they would just come by to stare. People would call us ‘curses’ and ‘ghosts’ and would say we wouldn’t die, just disappear. These words became so familiar to me that I almost started to believe they were true.”
When I was in school, I hoped to continue my studies and become a teacher or doctor. But when our father died and our economic situation worsened, my mother realised she could not afford to send me to secondary school. Dreams of my career were soon tarnished.
My life got harder when I began to sell fish at the local market. Customers would not buy fish from me, even if all the other stalls had sold out. They would shout, “I can’t buy fish from him. I would rather go to bed hungry.” These challenges and remarks filled me with sadness. I would never show it in front of other people, but when I was alone, I had extremely dark thoughts.
But I’m thankful I didn’t give up. I decided to ignore any negative comments I heard about my condition and started doing exercise to build up my muscles. I wanted to gain respect from my community. The stigma I faced started to become a thing of the past and I began making a wider network of friends.
I can’t even begin to say how much Standing Voice has helped me. When I think about it, I become short of words. I don’t think I’d be here today without their help.
Thanks to Standing Voice, I have a secure house for my family. I received a grant for my fish-selling business, which provides me with capital to support my family. My daughter has been able to attend secondary school and has now graduated from a prestigious college in Tanzania. I have also received support for my health. Standing Voice has contributed to every aspect of my life.
© 2026 Standing Voice
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