The first ever Mr and Miss Albinism kicked off over the weekend with auditions at Beauty Point in Nairobi. Attended by nominated MP Isaac Mwaura for Special Interest Group and National Coordinator of Albinism Society of Kenya, the event saw a huge turn up of hopefuls gunning for the crown.
"Persons with albinism are extremely excited about this first ever Mr and Miss Albinism. It has never happened before and they have an opportunity to showcase what they got and I can assure you its something," MP Mwaura told Word Is.
Mwaura joins the "steering committee with a diversity of talents, that is organising the pageant. I provide overall leadership as the vision bearer of the society."
The winner of the crown will play an instrumental role of being an awareness ambassador for children with albinism.
Mwaura says, "A lot still remains to be done if at all we are to combat the stigma and discrimination faced by persons with albinism in many parts of the country."
He continued, "We need to increase levels of awareness, give children a chance to attend school, provide sunscreen lotion and skin cancer treatment, improve access to eye care services especially prescription glasses, open job placement opportunities including self employment, lobby for better policies and most importantly, increase the self esteem of persons with albinism."
The beauty pageant winner will be chosen on October 21 at a competition held at the Carnivore.
"I ask Kenyans to come out in large numbers on that day," Mwaura said, "The tickets are going at Kshs 1,500 for executive and Kshs 3,000 for VIP.
Tickets can be gotten at Tmall Off Lang'ata Road, at Carnivore or at Beauty Point along Tom Mboya."
Check out the photos from the audition.
PHOTOS/ Moses Mwangi
For more information check out Albinism Society of Kenya on Facebook or on twitter, @Albinism_Kenya.