Made to Shine

Today is International Albinism Awareness Day! And this year the theme is "Made to Shine." I want to take this opportunity to celebrate and recognise the amazing mamas (and their children) that I know, who have persevered against adversity and are changing the way many think about people with albinism here in Tanzania! Made to shine!

Upendo wa Mama Group

This year on Albinism Day, Upendo wa Mama is celebrating the upcoming opening of The Hive! With the generous support of Under the Same Sun, the Upendo wa Mama group now has a shop in which to sell their beeswax products!

The Hive taking shape!

Hard at work cleaning at The Hive 

The Hive will also be a Honey Centre, a place where rural beekeepers can bring their local honey for processing, bottling and selling. The women will manage this work alongside Bhatendi, the Emmanuel International beekeeping trainer.

Honey Pressing Station

With additional space for a small workshop, the women can continue with other work there, freeing up their Isamilo workshop for more activity. There will be an office and storeroom, making this a base from which to send products farther afield. The group also want to find ways for The Hive to meet other needs in the Mwanza community and are working with Mavuno Village (a children's home outside Mwanza, with a great agricultural program) to get their fresh organic produce available to people in town. They are providing a coffee order service to supply a variety of good Arusha coffee to people in Mwanza! And they will soon be stocking some beautiful products from Neema Crafts, Iringa, a centre for people with disabilities. And as they work in the Mwanza community, we hope that they will raise awareness for people with albinism in Tanzania, promote the work of Under the Same Sun and Standing Voice and also find new ways of supporting and encouraging others with albinism.

Working with Neema from Mavuno sorting the produce

Delicious organic produce straight from the farm!

Sourcing and stocking some good coffee!

COVID-19 has certainly made things difficult for the group. As the world shut down, so did their business selling beeswax products. So without the regular group income and also with the economic struggle at home with increased prices, it has not been an easy time. They have also missed the support and encouragement gained from meeting regularly all together, a huge part of what this group is all about. But again, they have been resilient and persevered! Monica has started planting and harvesting moringa herself. Laurensia, Jeni and Saidati (Zuena's daughter) have worked incredibly hard sewing over 1000 masks! Penina has been making and selling liquid hand soap, a much needed product during this pandemic. And Zuena has been dying and making fabrics for masks. Three of the women have been able to take business loans from the group for rice projects to profit from.

Colourful masks!

Moringa Powder

Liquid handsoap

And so as we celebrate these women and their children and their achievements today, I pray for their continued success. Made in the image of a caring, loving Creator, truly they are made to shine! May their light shine in this community … to the customers they serve and to the albinism community they support. May the favour of the Lord rest upon them and establish the work of their hands.

Aikande, the group's new facilitator!