When Joana was born into the world five years ago, the people in her village were filled with surprise and wondered why she was born different.
However, they accepted her and there was no indication of hate nor discrimination from her kinsfolk.
Merewai Dorota, who was present with her niece yesterday at an International Albinism Awareness Day event in Tamavua, Suva, travelled all the way from Nadroumai, Nadroga, a small village nestled in the hilly outskirts of Sigatoka Town.
Ms Dorota said she had helped raise her niece and her sister’s three other children since the passing of their father a few years ago.
“Their father died before Joana was born and so I helped raise them as my own because I don’t have any children and I’m not married,” she said.
“No one else in our family had albinism, this is the first child to have it and my older brother looked white but he didn’t have the condition.”
She said it was quite a challenge to raise a child with the condition because factors such as sunlight could hinder their health and cause issues such as skin cancer.
“We got her enrolled for Year 1 next year at the Fiji Blind School in Vatuwaqa where we will be staying at the hostel there and we are also looking to get assistance from the Social Welfare Department.”
