R Magazine, Ex-TeenArt_Issue 1_Authenticity Mar. 2015 | Page 82

Hello Maah. Your band Takeifa has toured
across Africa and Europe. Do you think
Albino people are seen differently according
to countries?
Indeed every country has its own perception of
albinism and it mostly depends on its culture
and traditions. In some countries, albino people
are considered sacred beings and therefore
they are highly respected and revered. In other
countries they are stigmatized, not integrated
in society or hunted and killed. Specifically in
Africa, cultures and traditions define the level
of integration of Albinos in their respective
societies.

Did you personaly feel different, as an
albino, within your big family?
My biggest luck in life is to belong to my
family. Since I’m a little girl, they have all
been so amazing to me that I just forgot I even
was an albino. From my father to my youngest
brother, I will eternally be grateful to them
since they made me so strong to face the world.

You fight for the rights of albino with the
association Care Albinos ? Can you tell us
more ?
Care Albinos is an association created by
the Takeifa band. We are very committed
in the field. We gather money thanks to the
activities we organize. We provide medical
assistance, awareness through media, we work
in collaboration with our ministries (health,
social welfare, justice, women and children).

Maah Koudia Keita//MUSIC