BEAUTILIGO Foundation was started by a young woman, Moleboheng Molebatsi, who’s had the skin condition vitiligo from the age of three.
Vitiligo (vit-ih-LIE-go) is a disease that causes the loss of skin colour in blotches. The extent and rate of colour loss from vitiligo is unpredictable. It can affect the skin on any part of your body. It may also affect hair, the inside of the mouth and even the eyes.
Normally, the colour of hair, skin and eyes is determined by melanin. Vitiligo occurs when the cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning.
Vitiligo affects people of all skin types, but it may be more noticeable in people with darker skin. The condition is not life-threatening or contagious. It can be stressful or make you feel bad about yourself. Treatment for vitiligo may improve the appearance of the affected skin but does not cure the disease.
Moleboheng founded Beautiligo to create awareness about the condition and suggest possible treatments. The foundation hosts workshops at schools, malls, churches and clinics to educate the public about the condition and the importance of self-acceptance.
The foundation is aimed at empowering and improving the social life of people with this condition, especially the youth, and also to give back to the community by providing sun protection creams to the less fortunate communities. In particular it helps those affected by the condition and fights discrimination against people with vitiligo.
In the long run, Beautiligo wants to run support groups and host events such as talent shows and vitiligo fun days.
Beautiligo has started with a few schools in Alberton and broader Ekurhuleni and it aims to reach neighbouring places, and then spread its reach nationally and ultimately internationally.
“Our other main goal is to have a boot camp centre for children that will take place during school holidays where they will be taught different things such as confidence, public speaking training, entrepreneurship, financial management education, life orientation, etc. This is to build them up and to keep them off the streets,” said Moleboheng.
Beautiligo is a new organisation so any donations or sponsorships would be appreciated from the corporate and government sectors as well as from the public at large.
For more information, contact Moleboheng on 081 074 7630 or send an email to molebohengm@beautiligofoundation.co.za.
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