Neema’s Journey to Safety

August 2025

At just six years old, Neema and her three-year-old sister were forced to flee their home in fear for their lives. Born with albinism, they had become targets of violent threats. Individuals fueled by superstitions were actively seeking to harm them. 

Their story is not unique. In Tanzania, people with albinism continue to face violence and persecution, as some believe their body parts bring wealth or power. Others view albinism as a curse to be eradicated, forcing children like Neema to live in constant fear.

Despite their grandmother’s desperate pleas for police protection in their community, the threats persisted. Fearing for their safety, she made the heartbreaking decision to risk their lives, leave everything behind, and take her granddaughters far from home in search of help.

This is the moment Neema’s journey began to lead toward freedom.

Hope arrived when their grandmother met a trained Social Welfare Officer, one who had received specialized family-based care training from GCA. Thanks to this training, the officer didn’t send Neema and her sister to an orphanage. Instead, she temporarily placed them in a loving, GCA-trained foster family for short-term care while the threat of violence persisted. This ensured they could be cared for in a safe, nurturing environment, rather than an institution while GCA helped their grandmother secure a safe environment for the children. 

During this placement, Neema and her sister got to experience warmth and safety within a family. They no longer lived in fear, and they had caregivers who loved and protected them. As Neema settled into her new home, she was eager to start school, but financial barriers stood in the way. Once again, GCA stepped in, providing Neema with everything she needed to begin school.

Neema’s story is a powerful reminder that every child deserves a future free from fear, and together, we can make that a reality.

Without GCA-trained foster families, she and her sister would have been placed in an orphanage, stripping them of the personalized care, protection, and love that only a family can provide.

In Tanzania, GCA is working tirelessly to protect children, like Neema, whose lives are endangered by deeply rooted superstitions and generational stigmas. These harmful beliefs don’t just isolate children; they put them at real risk of violence and exploitation.

While we advocate for lasting systems change, GCA secures immediate protection by placing vulnerable children in safe, loving families. Our team walks closely with each child and caregiver, providing support, safety, and hope, until the day comes when no child is threatened because of how they were born.

Thanks to your support, we’re not just changing narratives, we’re saving lives.