Josephat Torner is one of 35 siblings. He is the only one with albinism in his family. Growing up, Josephat faced severe discrimination from both family members and wider community members in his village.
As Josephat attained his education, he decided to use his voice for the greater good. He has dedicated his life to ending human rights violations against persons with albinism in his home country of Tanzania. His life and story was charted over a 6-year period in the award-winning BBC and ITVS International documentary, In the Shadow of the Sun.
"There’s only one thing in life that’s helped me. Only one thing… Education."
Presently, Josephat is one of the foremost activists in the world for the rights of people with albinism. He has travelled the world extensively as a campaigner and advocate, speaking at high-profile events in the United States, Australia, Canada, Holland, Switzerland, Finland, and the UK. He even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness of the challenges facing people with albinism in Tanzania.
"If you want freedom, you have to fight for it."
His contribution to the community of persons with albinism in Tanzania is an inspiration to us all. We at Standing Voice have been privileged to work alongside Josephat, and we look forward to amplifying his voice—and the voices of all people with albinism across Africa—in future.