The Deputy Director, Interim Grants Donations Manager and Albinism Konnect Ambassador, Marvellous Tshuma has raised concern in a thread of tweets exposing barbermen who are forcing their clippers on people who live with albinism then sell the cut hair for monetary benefit.
Nicknamed Queen of BaTonga on Twitter , she claims she is handling a case where the victim’s hair and in some incidents menstural discharge is also collected and sold to ritualists, business people and fishermen in Zimbabwe.
Taking to her twitter account vented exposing the culprits and citing incidents as well as the victims.
She said:
“Im attending to a case where a barberman is said to have been forcing a child with albinism to get a free haircut. Information emerging is some barbermen harvest the hair of people with albinism and sell it to bussinessmen, wizards, fishermen, and ritualists in Zimbabwe.
….He parent says at one point her son was kidnapped and confined in house of one of the community members in Cowdray park. Her in laws wanted to send her back home when she gave birth to her son, as we speak she has been excommunicated by the relatives because she had a CwA.
….The hair is said to be weaved in fishing nets to catch more fish, some use it to do rituals to enhance inteligence of their non albino children with the belief fhat PWA have high IQ. Some use it to perform rituals aimed at boosting their bussinesses.
….Some hunt for menstural residue from mensturating women with albinism to use it for rituals. I continue to advise people with albinism to stay safe & if possible after haircuts to collect their hair. Used sanitary pads as well must be well disposed to avoid these harmful ocultic practices.”
