It all started with Mariamu...

Sometimes a person comes into your life unbidden, and nothing is ever the same again.  I didn't know when I met Mariamu Staford in November of 2009 that it was a turning point for me.  I have two children with albinism, and was very concerned about what was happening to people just like them halfway across the world in Tanzania.  Doug and I wrote letters to elected officials, donated money and were relieved that our kids were born here.

But when we heard about Mariamu's story, we felt compelled to get more involved.  Left to die in her bed almost four years ago after her arms were chopped off, Mariamu survived a seven hour drive to the nearest hospital.  While she lived, her unborn child did not.  Mariamu lost a great deal that day, but she never lost her will to live.  Her story was featured on the ABC News show 20/020, and people from all over wanted to help.  ABC News offered to fly here for treatment if she had support on the ground.  A group of us involved in the albinism community here in DC worked together to arrange for Mariamu's prosthetic arms and rehabilitation therapy, to hire a Tanzanian nurse to care for her and to generally fall in love with this beautiful and brave woman.  We realized when we said our goodbyes that we had to continue our relationship, and we decided to found Asante Mariamu.

Our organization is a little over two years old, and in that time we've done some great things for such a little group.  We've  raised awareness about what has been happening to people with albinism in East Africa through a House Resolution in Congress and with speeches, articles and social media; we've shipped thousands of tubes of sunscreen and hundreds of hats and sunglasses to people in Tanzania; we've supported a dermatology clinic in Malawi; we've created educational material in English and Swahili for people with albinism and the general population; we've sponsored the education of several students with albinism; and we've raised thousands of dollars to refurbish the Kabanga School, home to over 70 children with albinism.

All of this work is inspired by one very brave and very determined woman: Mariamu Staford.  So, we say "Asante, Mariamu."  Maybe we should have left in the comma.