I first became aware of Standing Voice during my exchange semester in Dar es Salaam in 2014, when I watched In The Shadow Of The Sun at a community art space. But this wasn’t the first time I’d encountered the stigmatisation of people with albinism. When I was in Tanzania, I found myself constantly exposed to the issue. I frequently saw how people with albinism were misunderstood, and deprived of a social support system.
"It became very clear to me that as a vulnerable and marginalised group, people with albinism needed a voice raised for them."
When arriving in London to study at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), I decided I wanted to get involved with Standing Voice to help support a cause I’m passionate about. After hearing Jamie, Standing Voice’s Programmes Manager, speak at SOAS, I got in touch, and have begun volunteering at the London Office as part of the Project and Fundraising team.
Part of my role as a volunteer at Standing Voice is to liaise with individual supporters willing to raise funds to help end the human rights abuses of people with albinism. It had always been a goal of mine to complete an official half marathon, so I decided this would be a good opportunity to set an example for potential fundraisers. My primary aim was to contribute to Standing Voice’s Skin Cancer Prevention Programme, which distributes ‘KiliSun’, a Tanzanian-made sunscreen specifically designed for people with albinism. I believe in supporting community-produced products on the ground rather than importing products from abroad. My friend from SOAS decided she also wanted to get involved and help fundraise in aid of the Vision Programme.
Initially, I found the process of collecting money for the half marathon daunting, but as my fundraising mission progressed it became more natural. Most people I came into contact with were willing to be supportive in anyway they could, and were open to engaging with the topic. The majority of donations came from people who had little prior knowledge about the treatment of people with albinism, so it was refreshing to see the level of interest that was eventually generated.
"It was good to get people excited and interested about a topic they may not ever have been exposed to; it really got them talking about the issue."
Throughout our fundraising mission, I received a great deal of support from Jamie and the rest of the Standing Voice team. They helped with setting up my JustGiving page, a platform I had been unaware of before coming to the UK, as well as giving me invaluable advice on the best way to raise funds.
I’d actively encourage anyone thinking of planning a fundraiser to do it. It doesn’t need to be a big event that requires a lot of organisation; it can just be something you had already planned as a personal goal. Anything creative or active can be an opportunity to help a good cause. It really changes the way your personal network views the issue, and by raising awareness along with funds, you can tangibly impact lives!
© 2026 Standing Voice
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