By Elizabeth Oyarese Adams
In September 2025, I attended the Ghana Learning Forum 2025, organized by the Africa Albinism Network. The forum covered key issues around climate change, human rights, and albinism, and brought together a diverse, intergenerational group of persons with albinism from across Africa.
It offered a rich blend of insightful discussions on climate change, new perspectives on albinism, and hands-on activities that fostered powerful experiential learning. As persons with albinism in the room shared their real-life stories, we could see both the similarities and the unique challenges faced across Africa.
The sessions at the Ghana Learning Forum deepened my understanding of how climate change worsens existing barriers faced by persons with albinism across Africa. I began to connect the dots, clearly identifying how climate change contributes to increased health risks, education disruption, limited employment opportunities, and social vulnerability. Our vulnerabilities clearly intersect, and climate change compounds them.
No Ordinary Day for Persons with Albinism in Africa: Our Everyday Realities
Rising climate change in Africa may not immediately seem alarming when viewed through the lens of the average person with melanin. However, for persons with albinism, the damage is immense. It intensifies daily barriers to livelihood and survival.
Access to education and healthcare becomes even more difficult when climate change leads to displacement. Many people now have to travel much longer distances to receive medical care or attend school, spending extended periods under harsh sunlight. Some students even learn in dilapidated buildings or under trees, with little or no protection from extreme heat and sunburn.
Safety is another serious concern. Climate displacement forces persons with albinism into unfamiliar communities where the risk of being hunted increases, as harmful myths and beliefs still fuel attacks and body-part trafficking in parts of Africa.
My Experience at the Ghana Learning Forum
The forum was truly a learning experience. Through conversations with participants from Sierra Leone, Ghana, The Gambia, Malawi, Tanzania, and Liberia, I realized how similar the myths around albinism are across countries.
Despite our cultural differences, the misconceptions remain the same, that persons with albinism have childbearing problems, dietary restrictions, marital challenges, bring ill luck or good luck, or are associated with spiritual and superstitious beliefs. As ridiculous as these myths may sound, the number of Africans who still believe them is alarming. To be engaged from this standpoint is a daily reality.
This new understanding has strengthened my advocacy. I now see the bigger picture beyond Nigeria and better understand the broader, continental challenges faced by persons with albinism.
Outcomes of the Forum
The dialogues, presentations, and interactive sessions were impactful and inspiring. The facilitators guided us in drafting practical action points for advocacy. For me, it was a strong motivation to do even more.
I participated in different group activities where we were tasked with highlighting several important challenges faced by persons with albinism and proposing sustainable solutions and advocacy plans. One key challenge we identified was the lack of access to education, and how inclusive education training for teachers can strengthen their capacity to better support students with albinism in the classroom.
In addition, every country representative present made commitments to take the lessons learned back home, broaden albinism advocacy efforts, and engage in climate action discussions. As part of the Nigerian team, I made the same commitment.
