Meet Octoviah

I thought I was sick with HIV.

I felt alone for a long time, and I wasn't really liked by anyone, so most of the time I would just be by myself and cry.

The challenges I faced were mostly about not being liked because of who I was becoming. Here in Uganda, we have traditional myths and beliefs, for example, some people believe that twins bring bad luck. So whenever they saw someone like me, that was their first thought: that I was cursed. Many people here still believe in such things.

However, a few people who take the time to learn more about vitiligo from its roots are beginning to understand it, and they are trying to educate the community.

Most people, though, look at you like you don’t matter at all. You get bullied in school and called names. That happened to me, and I ended up quitting school.

That’s one of the reasons why many people with vitiligo are not well educated. People and kids with vitiligo are hiding away or even committing suicide. Treatment isn’t available to everyone, many of us just can’t afford it.

That’s why some of us who can are trying to speak out. 😭 We are engaging in activities like modeling and acting to show people that we are still beautiful the way we are.

We aim to always stand out, be bold, and know our worth. Vitiligo doesn’t define us.

We should create awareness about it."