Piece by: ASHLEY OTIENO

27 June 2023

• Get to know what Royal patches foundation , an NGO , for people with vitiligo does.

While marking World Vitiligo Day on June 25th the Royal patches foundation came together to commemorate this day in a beauty pageant.

Vitiligo is an auto-immune skin condition where the skin has white patches caused by the immune system attacking the healthy body cells that produce melanin.

While speaking in an interview with Tom Radido the secretary at the foundation, he told us what exactly they do and how it began.

The Royal patches foundation is a foundation that was formed by a group of friends with vitiligo in 2017.

It was then legally registered under the government and got certification in 2021.

With a passion and common interest in modeling, they decided to start a club that would feel like home to people with vitiligo.

Royal patches foundation is also home to people with other diverse special immune conditions.

The foundation has held modeling events each year to be able to commemorate the celebrations of world vitiligo day.

Their main aim is to create awareness and clear the misconception that is centered around people diagnosed with vitiligo.

The foundation is also actively involved in pageants because modeling is a form an art, and their skins are like art and canvas that can be used on the runway.

This is also to make the models feel like they have a shot at shining in the modeling world, and feeling like they can also be accepted.

They also counsel both the parents and kids with vitiligo to be able to help both the parents and kids accept the condition.

"It's easier if we start talking to them at an early stage so that they are able to accept themselves and know that they can be and do everything other kids still do"

He also said that they hope to offer counseling services to more schools so that they can also make kids be aware that their fellow students with vitiligo are just like them.

Royal patches foundation also does outreach programs, they have visited Murang'a prison, a children's home, and also one of their students in school to offer them support.

To them, anyone who joins royal patches is a part of them and is treated like family.