Altruist, the cream that helps African albinos and reduces the incidence of skin cancer

Altruist: The Cream That Helps African Albinos and Reduces the Incidence of Skin Cancer

A dermatologist and an economist launched a range of affordable, high-quality sunscreens in 2015. Part of the proceeds go towards improving the lives of albino children.

Dr. Andrew Birnie and economist David Westerbeek are two close friends with a shared goal of “doing something good in the world,” they explain. This is how Altruist was born— a brand of high-quality dermatological products aimed at reducing the incidence of skin cancer, with a special focus on albino people in Africa.

Albinos face discrimination in many parts of the world. According to the United Nations (UN), one in every 1,400 people in Africa is albino, and this continent is where most physical assaults on albino individuals occur.

Birnie explains that albinism is “a genetically inherited condition, particularly common in East Africa, where there are more carriers of the affected gene.” Many albino individuals show signs of sun damage by the age of 10 and die young due to skin cancer caused by a lack of melanin.

However, this is not all. Throughout their lives, due to their lighter skin compared to others, “they face ostracism and are treated with suspicion. They are often marginalized and struggle to fit in,” says Birnie.

Altruist in Africa

The two friends met in 2010 in Durban, South Africa, where Dr. Birnie was training local dermatologists in skin cancer surgery. He eventually helped establish a specialized clinic that treated people who could not afford healthcare or interventions.

Through a mutual friend, they were introduced through their shared love of surfing. After returning to Europe, they decided to embark on the adventure of creating Altruist. “We asked ourselves if it would be possible to combine our respective talents to create a high-quality sunscreen and make it available to the public at the price of the cheapest products on the market,” says Westerbeek.

The name reflects the company’s ethos. According to the founders, it shows a clear concern for social well-being. Furthermore, the idea was to create a product “people would have no excuse not to use and could apply every day,” explains Birnie.

Altruist’s sunscreen range offers balanced protection across the entire UVB and UVA spectrum. “In fact, the UVA protection is up to three times greater than that of many standard European sunscreens,” emphasizes the dermatologist.

Additionally, the packaging is made from recycled materials. Although one of their challenges was ensuring the sunscreens were both high-quality and low-cost, they eventually succeeded, though this meant making higher investments each year.

There is no cure for the lack of melanin that characterizes albinism. Therefore, given the situation albinos face in some African countries, Altruist has worked with Under the Same Sun, a Canadian charity that provides education and a future for people with albinism. They have also donated sunscreens to the Dutch organization African Albinos.

Currently, they send 10 cents from every tube sold to these organizations, and since launching their products, they have donated an equivalent of 700,000 euros in products.

Stigma and Albinos

Beliefs and myths have placed albino populations at the center of targeting in countries like Tanzania or Zimbabwe, where it is thought that witchcraft has caused their condition. As Malian singer and albino activist Salif Kéita explains to the UN, “This is when the hunting of albinos begins.”

To demonstrate the international community’s commitment to this issue, every June 13th marks the International Albinism Awareness Day. The aim is to ensure the protection of people with albinism in areas where they face discrimination and violence.

For this reason, in 2017, Ikponwosa Ero, a leading human rights advocate for people with albinism, explained at the UN the measures being implemented through a regional action plan: “We provide iron bars for their doors and windows so they can be protected. We also recommend educating mothers and midwives to prevent infanticide.”

The figures on human rights violations against albinos since 2010 are revealing. The UN reports that “around 700 cases of attacks and murders of people with albinism have been recorded in 28 countries across sub-Saharan Africa.” This figure, they note, only includes reported cases.

For this reason, Ero also recommended the importance of “providing cement to families who have lost loved ones with albinism, so that their graves are not raided,” since some people attempt to sell the bones of the deceased.

Ending the stigma would guarantee the survival of this population in various African regions. Projects like Altruist and the work of organizations active in the most affected areas are essential so that, one day, albinism no longer becomes a sentence.