16/04/2025
My husband is no different from other humans, he just lacks melanin, new wife shares
WHOEVER said people living with albinism can never find love, probably never met Nancy and Maseko Lumayi who have defied all odds by being together for years.
In a world that often wraps albinism in fear, myths and stigma, Maseka and his wife Nancy have built a love story that stands as a quiet rebellion against ignorance.
The two met in 2017 at Overflow Outreach Ministries and began dating the following year in 2018.
In an interview with Kalemba, the lovely couple shared that their bond started with a hug by the roadside, a moment that sparked a connection Nancy immediately recognised as something deeper.
Nancy shared that the moment her then friend and now husband offered her a hug after seeing her off to the station, she exclaimed there and then that she was his wife.
“I remember him escorting me to the bus one day after church. He then hugged me as he was saying bye and I looked at him and said I’m your wife,” shared Nancy.
She believed in it from the beginning and so did he.
At the time all this was happening, they were both young as the wife was just 19 and the husband 22 but age mattered little compared to the depth of their commitment.
Over the years, they grew through financial struggles, long distance relationship challenges and the silent doubts of people around them but they stood firm.
Nancy admired Maseka’s ability to prioritise her even in tough times as she shared that he supported her dreams, encouraged her goals and grounded their relationship in faith.
For her, that kind of devotion was rare and it meant everything.
Maseka, on the other hand, took his time getting to know Nancy stating that her quiet nature made it difficult at first, but what stood out to him was her gentle spirit, kindness and reverence for God.
Those qualities, more than anything, convinced him she was the one.
“She is a very quiet human being, he admitted, so I took time to understand her. I asked people about her. She never confronted anyone, never caused drama. She was just kind and she feared God. That’s what drew me to her.”
Behind their love story, however, were the quiet battles that came with society’s perception of albinism.
Maseka often felt uncertain about whether she would stay.
He explained that his friends and family were skeptical at first, unsure whether a woman like Nancy could genuinely love him but she proved everyone wrong.
She remained by his side through his lowest moments, including times when neither of them had much.
“There were times I honestly felt like she would leave me. Even my own friends didn’t believe she was really in love with me. Some thought it was a joke. But she stayed. She saw me at my lowest and she stood by me,” he said.
“I also couldn’t believe that a cute lady like her could actually be in love with me but time proved everything and here we are.”
Her family, far from being a source of stigma, embraced Maseka wholeheartedly.
In fact, she often jokes that they might even love him more than they love her.
Despite their love story, Maseka and Nancy had to navigate stares and whispers from strangers and passersby who reminded them that society still had a long way to go when it came to embracing people living with albinism.
Despite the odds, their love grew stronger and the duo got engaged in 2021 and finally married on March 23, 2025, seven years after it all began.
For Nancy, marriage to Maseka brought a sense of completeness and for Maseka, it was a full-circle moment, proof that love, when nurtured with faith, patience and purpose, truly lasts.
“It feels so nice to be married to him. We have come from far. He completes me. He has brought peace and joy to my life,” she said.
“My house used to be messy but she has changed it, everything is new and I know she is my soulmate,” shared Maseka.
Together, the Lumayis now speak through their story and show that albinism is not a curse, not a myth and not something to fear but merely a lack of melanin, not a lack of humanity, capability or love.
By Catherine P**e
Kalemba, April 15, 2025
