GAMOTODI – “We are not going to employ you because we are saving your skin from the sun,” these were the words local resident Ms Sandra Mabule Maroga claimed she was told by management of Bambanani Home-based Centre.
Maroga (44), a woman with albinism, has been volunteering at the centre since 2001. According to this mother of three her problems started when she applied to be a carer at the centre.
She said her morale was ”broken” on August 3 when she was informed that she would not be hired because the management and owners were worried
about her condition.
“Before the day of the interview we already knew who was to be hired. They preferred someone with no experience and who was not qualified for the job. The person they hired only started volunteering in 2012 and is the next of kin of one of the managers,” Maroga alleged.
She claimed she was sidelined because of her skin colour. “I am one of the founders of the centre. I worked like any normal person, did field work and went the extra extra mile.”
To become more qualified she was trained by St John’s Ambulance for a course in first aid. She also received training in home-based care, skin cancer, family planning, HIV/Aids and TB.
Locals were shocked by the centre’s decision and most called it an “injustice and discrimination”. They said Maroga’s albinism never kept her from doing normal chores. “She was always seen doing field work in the scorching heat. We wonder what has changed?”
Steelburger/Lydenburg News visited the single mother who revealed she had no power to go back to the centre and volunteer again. “My hope is that one day I will be looked at as a normal person and be counted when better opportunities arise, not to be sidelined because of my skin and not my credentials.”
The paper contacted project manger of the centre, Ms Kedibone Chego, who said she was told that Maroga was poor in the interview. “She did not do well in the interview, that is the reason she did not get the job. No one discriminated against her. We worked with her since 2001, it was just unfortunate that she did not make it,” Chego said.
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