Meet Phelix

My vitiligo started in 2008 on my lips. I tried treating it using different creams and at some point, it disappeared but it did not take long for it to reappear- this time not just on the lips but had spots on my neck and my right arm.

At first, some said I am cursed. Some said it's witchcraft while some even said I have been abusing drugs.

I visited different hospitals until one day a doctor told me I had vitiligo. That was a new phrase to me as I hadn't heard of it before. What worried me the most was the doctor mentioned that this condition is not yet treatable. I became so worried, stressed and shocked because now I had to adapt to a new lifestyle.

I became more curious to research this condition so I was always on Google. It became my best friend because it would give me all the information I needed - this didn't stop my parents from continuing to search for a medication that would work. We visited several hospitals in search of treatment, but all went in vain.

It reached a point where I had to go for counseling to help me accept my condition and embrace it. “More acceptance” became my best medication to vitiligo! I embraced the beauty and even stopped wanting to try medications!

I want to create more awareness because I don’t want people to go through what I went through. I started modeling to create more vitiligo awareness through art and photography after being inspired by Winnie Harlow and Leleti Khumalo (Sarafina).

What I would tell someone who has just been diagnosed is to seek guidance and counseling. Join a support group around them. I joined Royal Patches, a vitiligo support group here in Kenya which really played a role in my acceptance journey and with my modeling career.

What I hope is every rare skin condition is recognized and appreciated!

Let's embrace diversity and inclusion as we all know that beauty has no skin tone! In the future, I would like to travel to Canada and Europe to interact with people living with vitiligo in different places.