Bonface Ophiyah Massah

Bonface Ophiyah Massah has spent nearly a decade defending the rights and social inclusion of people with disabilities in Africa, primarily those with albinism. A person with albinism himself, his unwavering leadership qualities manifested in the fight for the rights and protection of persons with albinism, especially those in Malawi who were being targeted for ritual sacrifices between the years of 2013 and 2018. A former president of the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi from 2009 to 2016, he later took on the role of national director, and worked to educate local authorities about the attacks against those in the albinism community. Under his leadership, the association brought international attention to the cause.

Bonface was named the inaugural award winner of the Bari-Bari Prize for outstanding albinism advocacy in 2015 and was accepted into the 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders Initiative. He continues to invest time in motivating young people with disabilities, as well as offering support to families with children with disabilities through community-based inclusion programs. He holds a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Studies, with a focus on Disability, Gender, and Development from the University of Stellenbosch and a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from the University of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture.