14/06/2025
WELCOME ADDRESS BY ISRAEL EPHRAIM BEN ORIZU, STATE CHAIRMAN, ANAMBRA STATE ALBINISM ASSOCIATION, ON THE OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL ALBINISM AWARENESS DAY AND UNVEILING OF VIVIGOLD FOUNDATION, HELD IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ANAMBRA STATE DISABILITIES RIGHTS COMMISSION AND VIVIGOLD FOUNDATION
June 13, 2025
PROTOCOLS
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with great joy and deep humility that I welcome you all to this important event — the 2025 International Albinism Awareness Day, being commemorated today alongside the official unveiling of the Vivigold Foundation, in proud collaboration with the Anambra State Disabilities Rights Commission and Vivigold Foundation.
Today is not only a day of awareness — it is a celebration of resilience, advocacy, unity, and progress in the journey towards inclusion and equity for persons with albinism in Anambra State and Nigeria at large.
It is with a sense of profound gratitude that I announce that over the past one year, we have not recorded any loss among persons with albinism in Anambra State. This is a major milestone and a testimony to our collective efforts in improving access to healthcare, spreading awareness, and strengthening community bonds. We thank God for this gift of life.
We are immensely grateful to the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) for enrolling 70 persons with albinism under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), granting them access to free medical insurance coverage. This intervention has been lifesaving, and we hope to see even more inclusion in the coming months.
We deeply appreciate the unwavering support of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), and the Anambra State Disabilities Rights Commission, whose consistent partnership and advocacy have been instrumental in opening doors of opportunity and amplifying the voices of persons with albinism and other disabilities.
A very special recognition goes to Comrade Vivian Ezeonwumelu, Founder of Vivigold Foundation and Pioneer Chairperson of the Anambra State Albinism Association. Your legacy, courage, and continued commitment to our cause remain a beacon of hope to us all. We are proud to unveil the Vivigold Foundation today as a symbol of your enduring vision for a more inclusive and compassionate society.
Dear friends, as we celebrate, we also acknowledge the urgent realities confronting our community. At present, we are managing nine active cases of skin cancer among persons with albinism in Anambra State. These cases require critical and specialized medical care.
To this end, we are appealing for support towards our Medical Trust Fund — to help us procure essential sun protection gadgets such as sunscreen, protective clothing, and specialized eyewear, and to finance skin cancer intervention treatments. These resources are not luxuries; they are necessities for survival.
We also appeal to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to extend insurance coverage for persons with albinism beyond the state, to enable access to hospitals equipped with chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, which are vital for effective skin cancer treatment.
This vision cannot be achieved alone. It is with this in mind that I pause to sincerely appreciate my fellow executives of the Anambra State Albinism Association for their tireless dedication and teamwork.
I also wish to express my heartfelt thanks to our brothers and sisters in JONAPWD, who have stood with us in advocacy, inclusion, and solidarity.
To every member of the Anambra State Albinism Association, thank you for your courage, your resilience, and your trust in our shared vision.
To the parents and families of persons with albinism, your love, care, and constant support remain the backbone of our community. You are the unsung heroes of our movement, and today, we celebrate you too.
As we commemorate this day, let us commit once more to building a state — and a world — where no person with albinism is left behind; where our health, safety, and rights are protected; and where we are empowered to live with dignity and pride.
Thank you for joining us today. Thank you for your continued support.
God bless you all.
God bless Anambra State.
God bless every person with albinism.
Israel Ephraim Ben Orizu
State Chairman,
Anambra State Albinism Association
