Albinism in Malawi: Skin-deep murder for profit

From the day they are born, they have to hide in the shadows. They’re derided for the way they look, ostracized from communal life and persecuted. In some cultures, superstitious beliefs are attached to their physical appearance, from magical curses to healing powers.

Taken to the extreme, they can be chased down, mutilated and murdered for their bodies. Their crime? A congenital inability to produce melanin. To have albinism can mean a death sentence in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa,…