Aid evening raises thousands for Tanzania's albinos
The Commonwealth Association's 11 September international evening in London has raised thousands of pounds for the Tanzania Albino Centre. Members, supporters and the co-sponsors, Rotary Club Westminster West, pooled efforts to not just raise the money but also put on a wonderful evening with food, music and dancing which raised the rafters at 6 York Gate, NW1.
Stars of the evening's entertainment were two Kathakali dancers who donated their time to wow guests with their precision movements, the Furaha choir who sang in Swahili, and the Commonwealth Secretariat's Dance Crew (put together by the Social Club) who donned kangas and danced energetically to an African beat. So energetically, in fact, that guests got up and joined them on the floor.
Raffle Draw
The Raffle Draw was ons of the highlights of the evening. Here is a list of winning tickets and prizes:
1st prize - Ticket 02119 - Two Air Asia return economy class tickets to Bali via Kuala Lumpur
2nd prize - Ticket 0351 - Champagne Hamper
3rd prize - Ticket 0813 - Tea for Two at The Ritz
4th prize - Ticket 0173 - Tea Hamper
5th prize - Ticket 2834 - Pair of gold earrings
6th prize - Ticket 0005 - Silk screening course at London Print Studio
7th prize - Ticket 0121 - Two framed prints by illustrator Clare Mackie
8th prize - Ticket 0335 - Lunch for two at Royal Over-seas League
9th prize - Ticket 1756 - Coffee Hamper
10th prize - Ticket 2060 - Three entry ticket's for autumn's Gauguin Exhibition
11th prize - Ticket 0084 - Guided tour of Marlborough House for six
12th prize - Ticket 2967 - Two winning books from 2010 Commonwealth Writers Prize
13th prize - Ticket 0156 - Hand embroidered tablecloth and napkins
14th prize - Ticket 1141 - Bottle of rum
15th prize - Ticket 1333 - Bottle of whisky
16th prize - Ticket 2330 - Bottle of whisky
Plight of Tanzania's albinos
Do you know that Tanzania has a higher than average albino population? id you know that albinos come from the poorest sections of society in that country?
And did you know that some of them are murdered for their body parts which are then used for superstitious medicinal purposes and as 'wealth-enhancing charms'? One police report estimates a £50,000 price tag for a a complete set of body parts.
Touched by the plight of the albinos, the Rotary Club Westminster West sponsored The Commonwealth Association's international evening to raise funds for the Tanzania Albino Centre in Arusha and they have raised money which will help put some young people through school or training or buy some of the essentials that keep them healthy, such as sunglasses and sun block creams to keep their eyes and skins safe.
For the lighter pigmentation of the albinos puts them in jeopardy of damaging their eyes and contracting skin cancer from the strong rays from the sun.
Tanzanian authorities are doing all they can to help protect the albino population, even escorting some of the children to school. Traditional community discrimination has been outlawed. An award-winning film, 'Curse of the Nobody People' has even made by South African Sam Rogers.
But centres, such as the Tanzania Albino Centre need lots of support. For £380, for example, one person can be supported through school for a year. And just imagine how many sunglasses and sun block that can buy.
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