Salif Keita at SOB’s in New York City on September 18, 2014
By Isseu Diouf Campbell
Malian singer Salif Keita performed on September 18, 2014, at SOB’s in Manhattan, for albinism, a cause he knows all too well.
To raise funds and awareness about a condition that can be fatal in Africa, Keita and his band stopped in more than 10 cities including New York.
“If there is someone who knows what it means to be an albino, it’s certainly me,” Keita said.
“I’ve suffered and been victimized. Albinos can’t live like anyone else because they are not like everyone else. It is God’s will,” the singer added.
“They can’t integrate into society. They are rejected, scarified and killed. I couldn’t remain indifferent so I started this foundation to help them,” Keita stated.
Financial and administrative concerns have so far kept Keita from giving the support he really envisioned. He nevertheless stays optimistic with Mali’s new government and invites the diaspora to contribute to the cause.
For more information about the foundation, visit salifkeita.us.
