BEYOND SUNCARE

Beyond Suncare (BSC) is a Spanish non-governmental organization dedicated to improving the living conditions and safeguarding the fundamental rights of people with albinism in Sub-Saharan Africa through a comprehensive, systemic, and sustainability-oriented approach. At the heart of its work lies the promotion of equitable access to healthcare, while also addressing the multiple and intersecting forms of vulnerability faced by this population. Across the region, people with albinism face a dramatically reduced life expectancy, with studies estimating that up to 90% die before the age of 40, primarily due to preventable skin cancer caused by extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation, comb... read more Beyond Suncare (BSC) is a Spanish non-governmental organization dedicated to improving the living conditions and safeguarding the fundamental rights of people with albinism in Sub-Saharan Africa through a comprehensive, systemic, and sustainability-oriented approach. At the heart of its work lies the promotion of equitable access to healthcare, while also addressing the multiple and intersecting forms of vulnerability faced by this population. Across the region, people with albinism face a dramatically reduced life expectancy, with studies estimating that up to 90% die before the age of 40, primarily due to preventable skin cancer caused by extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation, combined with severely limited access to adequate protection, early diagnosis, and specialized care. In addition, they experience widespread stigma, discrimination, and targeted violence linked to harmful myths and beliefs, which significantly restrict their access to education, employment, and social participation. Within this context, BSC works to ensure that people with albinism can live healthy, dignified, and self-determined lives by combining direct, life-saving interventions with long-term strategies aimed at strengthening local systems and promoting structural change. Since its creation, BSC has supported more than 4,000 people with albinism across countries such as Malawi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, of whom 48% are children and 75% are women and children. Through integrated health and inclusion programmes, the organization responds both to immediate needs and to the systemic gaps that continue to leave this population behind. A central pillar of BSC's work is the prevention and treatment of skin cancer through the provision of dermatologically adapted sunscreen-SPF 50+, highly water resistant, and offering broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection-specifically designed for the climatic and socio-economic conditions of Sub-Saharan Africa. This intervention is complemented by the decentralization of care through the training of local healthcare workers at district hospitals and rural health centres, enabling early detection, continuous follow-up, and referral within primary healthcare systems. In parallel, BSC contributes to the strengthening of national health systems by supporting Ministries of Health and Disability Affairs in the integration of albinism care into public policies, clinical protocols, and supply chains. Beyond healthcare delivery, BSC actively promotes social inclusion and human rights through community sensitization campaigns and advocacy processes at national, regional, and international levels, including contributions to the Regional Action Plan on Albinism in Africa and collaboration with global research and policy platforms. A distinctive feature of BSC's approach is its strong commitment to local ownership, meaningful participation, and economic empowerment. The organization works hand in hand with local partners and community leaders, many of them led by people with albinism, to ensure that interventions remain aligned with the real needs and priorities of the communities they serve. The active participation of people with albinism in identification, diagnosis, and evaluation processes ensures that programmes accurately reflect their lived experiences and the barriers they face in accessing healthcare, education, protection, and social inclusion. This strengthens the relevance, quality, and legitimacy of interventions, fosters community ownership, reinforces accountability, and supports the design of more sustainable, culturally appropriate, and results-oriented responses. At the same time, it recognizes people with albinism not merely as beneficiaries, but as key agents of change in advancing their rights and shaping long-term, effective solutions. This integrated approach is guided by cross-cutting principles of gender equality, environmental sustainability, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, recognizing that durable impact requires coordinated action across public institutions, civil society, affected communities, and the private sector. Ultimately, BSC's work goes beyond addressing urgent health needs. It seeks to transform the structural conditions that perpetuate exclusion and vulnerability, contributing to a future in which people with albinism are fully included in society, their rights are effectively protected, and their health and well-being are guaranteed through resilient, locally embedded, and publicly sustained systems.