Pageant empowers people with albinism to stand tall in Zimbabwe

HARARE, July 5 — Warm applause echoed through the hall on Saturday night as contestants confidently took to the runway for the Mr and Miss Albinism Zimbabwe pageant. Held in the capital city of Harare, the vibrant event served as a powerful celebration of identity, talent, and resilience.

Organized by the Albinism Dare to Dream Initiative (ADDI) to commemorate International Albinism Awareness Day, the pageant, held under the theme “Proudly in My Skin,” was not merely about fashion but also about making a collective statement against discrimination.

The event sought to highlight that people with albinism, a genetic condition caused by reduced or absent production of melanin — the natural pigment that gives color to the skin, hair, and eyes while protecting the body from harmful ultraviolet radiation — are defined not by differences in their appearance, but by their potential and talent.