THE TECHNICIAN

- Riziki -

By Standing Voice

February 13^th, 2017

Ukerewe Island is my home.

I was born here, but when I was young my parents moved us to Bunda in search of a better life. Unfortunately, when I was still young, my father passed away, and my mother remarried. She went to live with her new family. It was years before I saw her again.

My grandmother took me in. I lived with her in Bunda, and she loved me very much. But she soon passed away too, from cancer. Before her death, she appointed my aunt as my new guardian; she told her to protect me, to fight for my rights. If she didn't, my grandma warned, she would haunt her from the other side. For this reason, I was treated well.

My family kept me at home for many years, fearing I would be bullied in school. I was finally allowed to attend primary school when I turned 13. My peers rejected me at first. It was only when they saw my talent for football that they began to include me. My skill meant I played at the national level on one occasion. I became very popular as a result. Other students began to like me; they understood I was normal like anyone else.

Academically I did well, passing all 7 years of primary school and an entrance exam to attend secondary school. I won a place at Mwiruruma Secondary in Bunda, but had to drop out after one year when my family could no longer afford the fees.

After dropping out, I decided to come back to Ukerewe to start a new life.

I needed a trade. In Bunda, I had learnt mechanical skills from my neighbour, a radio technician. I decided to apply these skills by servicing people's radios on Ukerewe. Later on, as technology shifted, I began fixing mobile phones.

Using money I had earned from repairing phones, I bought a desktop computer, a 21-inch TV, and a DVD player. I got some mats and benches, and built a small cinema in my village. I burned DVDs for people to either buy or come to watch in my cinema. Now, people come from all over the area to watch DVDs in my cinema.

Riziki in his cinema (Credit: Imogen Freeland)

I first met Standing Voice in 2013. The team asked people on Ukerewe to write about their work in order to apply for sponsorship. I wrote about my project and was selected for sponsorship! I used the money to buy new DVD and computer systems, which have helped my business to grow further.

I'm now a famous technician on Ukerewe. Three villages rely on me: whenever they have electrical problems, they call me to fix them. I'm the go-to guy, and many people use my hall to watch DVDs.

"My next ambition is to build a bigger hall where people can come to watch football, which I love. I've already begun collecting bricks!"

Discrimination against persons with albinism has reduced since Standing Voice came here.

Before Standing Voice, many of us did not know how to protect ourselves against the sun. Now we understand our skin and how to take care of it. Before, it was impossible to obtain sunscreen: we relied on occasional imports from Dar es Salaam, or foreign visitors. Now we get regular supplies of specialist sunscreen for free. I attend the clinic at Nansio District Hospital every four months.

Riziki receiving cryotherapy during a Standing Voice Skin Cancer Prevention Clinic (Credit: Imogen Freeland)

Riziki receiving vision screening as part of the Standing Voice Vision Programme (Credit: Imogen Freeland)

Before now, many people with albinism on Ukerewe have lacked confidence. We have struggled to socialise, sometimes excluding ourselves even before others exclude us. Learning about my condition has given me the confidence to be myself and interact with my community.