Nd’umuntu nkawe
Subtitle: je suis un être humain comme toi, Portrait-récits d'Albinos au Burundi
Publisher: RCN Justice & démocratie
Published: 2013
Place of publication: Bruxelles, Belgique
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 72
Description: link to copy/paste in order to download the book :lien à copier/coller pour lire le livre en ligne :
http://www.rcn-ong.be/IMG/pdf/Portraits-recit_d_Albinos_au_Burundi.pdf
Table of contents: title: “It’s called ‘Nd’umuntu nkawe’ in Kirundi; it means I am a human being like you,” he continues, seemingly excited to share his story.; title: Platini is a young musician; he started singing when he was 16.; title: “The discrimination I faced there and now here is daily. Just because our skin is light and our traits are different doesn’t mean we are not humans, and this is the message I thrive to get out through my music.” He says before pausing.; title: Platini is an albino, a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. When I look at him, I see a white man, with blonde hair, light eyes but with traits that resemble mine.; title: “You know it was really shocking to see what people were doing to those who look like me. That day when I saw that people were selling body parts of albinos, I was terrified. My family quickly understood that it was no longer a safe place for me to be.” He goes on, pensive.; title: Platini described a loving family where he is the only albino.; title: “My brother and sisters are not albinos and neither are my parents. It’s only me. They’ve always been good to me. Very loving, caring. They never treated me differently because of the way I look,” he says with a smile.; title: “As a musician, it wasn’t easy for me. Other musicians didn’t accept me; some even ran away from me, not willing to shake my hand thinking I have a contagious disease! Others were clearly scared of me…this is the problem…people don’t understand why albinos look this way. They go and believe in all these stupid myths and as a consequence they discriminate.” He ends with a smile.; title: Platini created a non-profit named “Albinos Without Borders.”; title: “We do not have offices” he explains, “but we have already been doing a lot of work sensitizing people in understanding who we are and why we look the way we look. I am the only musician of the organization, my job is to raise awareness through my lyrics. Music can bring people together, create understanding,” he says with a smile.; title: “I always smile when I talk about myself,” he says “this is my secret,” he ends.; title: Platini was born in Burundi, a tiny country close to the DRC.; title: Arsene Tungali, Now AfriCAN Reporter Hero