Professor Charlotte Baker has been awarded funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Account to undertake a fieldwork and engagement study in Sierra Leone that focuses on demystifying the genetic condition albinism.

Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world where life expectancy is just 55.18 years, but for people with albinism it is just 30-40 years (UN, 2015). Albinism results in significant reduction in the pigment melanin, leading to visual impairment and vulnerability of the skin to sun damage and skin cancer. In Sierra Leone, there is very little support or treatment for the practical health problems faced by those with albinism.

As well as these health-related challenges, Charlotte Baker’s research has shown that the myths and beliefs attached to albinism also mean that many people with albinism in sub-Saharan African contexts experience mistreatment, marginalisation and physical violence.

In partnership with Medical Assistance Sierra Leone and the Sierra Leone Albinism Association, this project will create a set of more nuanced narratives of albinism through interviews, photography and art, which will underpin an awareness campaign to promote better understanding of albinism, reduce stigma, and enable people with albinism to take basic measures to improve their health outcomes.