See Beauty in Uniqueness by Zolisa Kalipa

In 2009, I was expecting my daughter and had noticed a spot under my arm. I went to the doctor, and he explained that the skin condition I had was vitiligo, just like Michael Jackson. He warned me that if it spread, it would continue to move. I tried ointments, but they only temporarily stopped the spread. Eventually, the doctor recommended photo therapy, which worked for a while, but eventually the vitiligo spread to other areas of my body. I felt uncomfortable, but my family’s support helped me to gain confidence. They thought it was “di mollo wa badimo” but I learned to accept and be comfortable with myself. I even had a stranger approach me on the train, telling me I should model because of my unique beauty. My advice to other girls like me is to accept and be comfortable with themselves, and not try to look like someone else. I take care of my vitiligo by using a lot of sunscreen, ingesting folic acid, and taking multivitamins.