The plight of people with albinism in Tanzania is a significant cause of concern globally, and in Tanzania, efforts are being made to stop this. This documentary provides an account of four child survivors of the violent attacks. It also gives an insight into a United Nations(UN) film that follows the plight of people with albinism and how government officials have criticized this film.

 

        The   CGTN Africa documentary shows four children who have been fortunate to survive the violent attacks and have had a chance to travel New York. "For 15-year-old Pendo, 13-year-old Emmanuel, 12-year-old Mwigulu, and five-year-old Baraka, this was a summer of hope. Four months in New York to receive medical care, prophetic limbs and chance to play without fearing for their lives” (CGTN Africa, 2021,0:10), the narrator stated. 

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        The documentary shows the prophetic limbs that have been fitted on children, and one of them, Mwigulu, gives a brief recollection of how they cut off his arm.  According to the narrator, " the children bear the scars of gruesome black market trade in human albino body parts which are highly-priced by witch doctors"( CGTN Africa, 2021,0:22). While children enjoyed being in NY and are eager to get back home, the narrator indicates that Tanzania is still not safe for these children. When asked what he wants to do first when he gets home, Baraka responds through an interpreter, "I want to see my mother"( CGTN Africa, 2015,1:05). However, the documentary goes on to state that " but baraka will not be going to see his mother, as going home would be too dangerous. They will be returned to safe houses"( CGTN Africa, 2015, 1:07). In this documentary, Ellisa Motanti, the sponsor of the children's trip to NY,  was featured, and she expressed worry about where the children were returning. The narrator goes on to mention "that albino parts including limbs, ears, nose, and tongues can fetch up, to $75,000US on the black market according to the red cross"(CGTN Africa, 2015, 1:37). 

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       Towards the end, the documentary provided a glimpse of another documentary by the UN, The Boy from Geita. This documentary shows the plight of children with albinism and has very graphic images showing new amputations. After that, the UN representative from Tanzanian is featured criticizing the UN documentary, indicating that the documentary was exaggerating the situation and has deliberately disregarded the positive measures that the government of Tanzania is making to improve the situation. “The ambassador said nearly 200 witch doctors and traditional healers had been arrested as efforts are being made to stop these attacks" (CGTN Africa, 2015, 2:39), concluded newsreader.

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       The documentary was fascinating because it covers a concerning practice that propagates violence against people with albinism for mythical benefits. The use of multiple speakers, including the main narrator, children, interpreter, and the scenes which included the prosthesis on the children's limbs, children sad faces, and scenes of amputations, made it very engaging. 

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        In conclusion, this news documentary covers an alarming practice that perpetuates violent attacks on people with albinism in Tanzania. It shares the experience of four children who survived the violent attacks and could access rehabilitative care through support from US-based sympathizers. Survival and access to support may not be the case for most children, as the documentary maintains that Tanzania is still not safe for people with albinism. The scenes from the UN documentary shows how dangerous  Tanzania is for children with albinism. However, the documentary shows that the government is doing something in Tanzania to stop this practice.