It’s not clear exactly how often albinism occurs — in some areas of Africa, about 1 in 5,000 people will be born albino, whereas in Europe and North America, it’s closer to 1 in 20,000, according to the NGO Under the Same Sun .
However, because many nations don’t keep data on the prevalence of albinism, it’s hard to know for sure.
What’s certain is that it’s not a common condition, but to see two family members who share it is rarer still.
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Aiman Sarkitova wasn’t even sure what albinism was when she gave birth to Asel, her first daughter.
“The doctors were shocked, and thought that she was Russian,” she told the Daily Mail . “Then I started reading about this matter, I have learned that my children are albinos.”
The parents of albino children don’t need to be albinos themselves.
They just need to both carry the gene. Before Asel’s birth, Aiman wasn’t even sure that albinism ran in her family.
However, she later learned that she had some ancestors who were albinos.
So as outlined earlier, the expression of the albinism gene can happen rarely within a family, but there’s always a chance that it will reveal itself as long as the materials are there.
Nevertheless, imagine her surprise when she later gave birth to a boy who was not albino, and *then* to another girl who was albino?
What are the odds?
Needless to say, it’s created some confusion. “He is dark-skinned, a real Kazakh,” Aiman said, describing her son.
“Until the younger one was born, he did not ask any question. But when Kamila was born, he began to say: ‘Mum, why are they like that? Why am I not like them, like my sisters?’
“He realizes that people are looking at the girls, and even begins to boast, proudly telling people about his unique sisters.”
Indeed, Asel has stood out enough that at the age of 10, she started modeling.
The arrival of her little sister Kamila has only ramped up interest, as the girls pose together in stunning photo shoots. On social media, the teen is already up to more than 30,000 followers on Instagram.
There are certainly some challenges to being an albino model, however.
Particularly daytime, outdoor shoots. “If I go outside in the afternoon, then I definitely apply sunscreen, put on clothes to protect my skin, headgear or use an umbrella. In the evening, when there is almost no sun, it’s much easier for me.”
h/t: Daily Mail