John Chiti Launches Zambia’s First Miss Albinism Reality Show.

Executive producer of Miss Albinism Zambia , John Chiti, has called for equal opportunities for people with albinism in the entertainment industry, saying their skin colour should not determine their chances of succeeding. Speaking in an interview with Lusaka Star, Chiti said the idea was inspired by the absence of similar platforms in Zambia despite […]

Executive producer of Miss Albinism Zambia , John Chiti, has called for equal opportunities for people with albinism in the entertainment industry, saying their skin colour should not determine their chances of succeeding.

Speaking in an interview with Lusaka Star, Chiti said the idea was inspired by the absence of similar platforms in Zambia despite other African countries, including Kenya, having hosted shows involving people with albinism.

“I realised that Zambia has never had modelling for people with albinism,” He said.

“Other African countries had such shows like Kenya, which inspired me”.

He said one of the major challenges he faced when starting the project was financing, as he had to use his own money to support the initiative.

“Financially, it was a challenge when starting, because I had to use my own money to sponsor it, paid for everything,” he said.

Chiti added that efforts to secure sponsorship were also unsuccessful, with only one sponsor initially showing interest before withdrawing.

“Only one sponsor came through, we tried reaching out to many TV stations, but they turned us down,” he said.

He explained that despite the financial and logistical challenges, the team managed to move forward with limited resources.

“We managed but it was not exactly how I planned it due to limited resources,” Chiti said.

He noted that the other problem he faced was finding contestants willing to participate because some people with albinism were shy about coming forward.

“Another challenge was to find contestants,” he said.

“Some people with albinism are shy, so we had to encourage them and managed to find a few”.

Chiti said finding suitable contestants eventually became a relief for the production team.

“We found good contestants, which became a relief,” he said.

He emphasized that the decision to make the programme a reality show was deliberate because he wanted it to be different and creative rather than simply another modelling competition.

“I decided to make it a reality show because I wanted it to be unique, bold and creative,” Chiti said.

Chiti added that the show was initially presented to several television stations, including Zambia’s Magic, Diamond TV and ZNBC, but the stations did not acquire it.

“We wanted to share it with TV stations, but unfortunately they did not buy it. So we are now doing it for free on YouTube,” he said.

He said the programme is not only about entertainment but also seeks to promote albinism and create a platform where people with albinism can showcase their abilities.

“This show is meant to promote albinism, to create a space for people with albinism so that some models can be brand ambassadors of certain companies,” he said.

He further stressed that the initiative goes beyond modelling, with opportunities extending to other forms of entertainment like acting and music.

Chiti stated the show also seeks to address inequalities faced by people with albinism in the entertainment industry where they can be judged because of their skin colour before their abilities are recognised.

“Opportunities for people with albinism and black skinned people are not equal,” he said.

“There is unfairness in the industry before they perform, they are judged because of their skin colour,” he said.

He said his personal experiences also motivated him to continue creating opportunities for others despite facing rejection along the way.

Meanwhile, Mary simpande said that we are also people who need same opportunities.

She added that the coming of this reality show will bring in more albinos to take part in such competitions.