Confident, young, vibrant, beautiful... you name it. Amelia Tichi is barely 12 years but wears many hats.
She is a social justice ambassador, environmentalist and the Face of Vitiligo Kenya.
In an interview with the Star, Amelia shared her journey with vitiligo and how it has shaped her to be an inspiration to young people and adults worldwide.
She was diagnosed with vitiligo at seven years old after noticing small white patches on her skin.
Vitiligo is a condition that causes the skin to lose its colour or pigment, making the skin appear lighter than the natural skin tone or turn white.
At the time of the diagnosis, Amelia's family had not known the gravity of her skin condition until she was taken to a dermatologist.
"My mum (Daisy Rono), who has been my biggest support system, sat me down and explained that vitiligo is a lifelong condition that cannot be cured but managed through various treatments," she said.
"She reassured me that nothing had changed and that I was still her beautiful girl.
"Her support meant the world to me, and I continued to live my life as before, attending school, dancing and swimming. Vitiligo wasn't going to hold me back."
Amelia struggled to cope in school due to stares from people and fellow pupils. Some asked if she got burnt or had a contagious disease.
"I became highly self-conscious and would cover up my skin, even wearing turtlenecks to school. I avoided swimming because I didn't want my classmates to see the patches on my body and start asking questions," she said.
"My biggest challenge has been facing stigma, the way people look at you, they judge and don't want to be associated with you."
She said sometimes she wins and other times she loses, but all the time she comes out of a pageant, her self-esteem increases.
To all the children dealing with vitiligo or a similar condition, they should remember to be themselves. Do you, and the world will adjust. Look for things to be grateful for every day
EMBRACING POSITIVITY
Amelia has planted more than 1,000 trees by herself and more than 10,000 through organisations.
She is a Humming Bird Champion, a segment in the modelling where they are given a target number of trees to plant.
"If you are number one, you are given 1,500 trees; number two gets 1,000 trees to plant. As of now, I have even lost count of the number of trees I have planted, but it is more than 1,000," she said.
Amelia woke up one day and decided to take it upon herself to create awareness to dispel myths and misconceptions surrounding vitiligo.
"When I started explaining to my friends and fellow students what vitiligo is, it changed the way they treated me. I also learned not to let rude comments bother me," she said.
"Since accepting my condition, I have achieved many things. I started engaging in my hobbies of swimming, dancing and skating without hesitation."
Amelia auditioned for Little Miss Environment, where she participated against other kids who were considered 'normal'.
She won the title, calling herself the "model with royal patches," referring to vitiligo.
"Little Miss Environment opened up many opportunities for me, including winning positions such as Cabinet Secretary in my school for environment, and Teen Miss Africa. I even became one of the youngest aviators in Kenya," she said.
She is the face of vitiligo under Royal Patches, an organisation that supports children who have vitiligo and those who do not pursue their dream of modelling.
INSPIRED TO SHINE
She draws her inspiration from strong women like Wangari Maathai, an environment champion, and Winnie Harlow, a Canadian model with vitiligo.
The 12-year-old said Maathai and Harlow have shown her that anyone can succeed and become the best versions of themselves if they set their minds to it.
"I want to spread awareness about the need for social and environmental justice," she said.
"While I once dreamed of becoming a pilot, I now plan to pursue aviation as a hobby and dedicate my career to advocacy as a legal adviser. I want my voice to be heard and considered in decision-making processes."
She said choosing positivity was an incredible mindset for her and the beginning of a breakthrough in opportunities.
"My mum, aunt and some teachers have been my biggest support system, helping me view life through a positive lens," she said.
"I have learned that I shouldn't let others determine my happiness, and that I can control my thoughts and attitude."
Amelia's main goal is to be in a position where she can influence decisions made about teenagers, especially girls.
"To all the children dealing with vitiligo or a similar condition, they should remember to be themselves. Do you, and the world will adjust. Look for things to be grateful for every day," she said.
"If you don't love yourself, how can you expect others to love you? Nurture self-love through positive affirmations and doing things you love. This has been my secret to achieving what I have."
Amelia has won several awards, including Little Miss Environment Kenya, Face of Vitiligo Kenya, School Cabinet Secretary Environment, Teen Miss Africa Kenya, World Scholars regional finalist, Education scholarship - Langata Consistency Fund, and Hummingbird Awards 1st runners-up.
She has also been appointed to sit in the Global Fund's Adolescent Girls Advisory Council, and will be part of the grant decision-making process for the next two years.
Amelia has travelled to Tanzania, Uganda, India, Dubai and South Africa to represent Kenya in modelling and environment projects.
She continues to do her best at inspiring, accepting and helping others, believing that the sky is the limit.
MOTHER'S SUPPORT
Her mother, Daisy Rono, says she was devastated on receiving the news that Amelia had the vitiligo condition.
"The thought of my baby having a lifelong condition was too much. I actually wished I was the one diagnosed with it because then I would know and handle the effects, especially social stigma," she said.
She added that Amelia's biggest challenge in school was facing the many questions from fellow pupils to the point of breaking down and crying.
Rono said her baby had to adjust and find ways how to deal with the questions without getting hurt.
Amelia had trouble finding friends because of the myths and misconceptions associated with vitiligo. They thought her condition was contagious.
"It has been a challenging journey to me due to the high medical costs, counselling and sunscreen lotions that she has to continuously use to manage vitiligo and avoid other adverse effects. But we always strive to give her the best," Rono said.
"We've tried all kinds of medications available and even imported a hand-held UVB Therapy Lamp from the UK. There has been little improvement and we are hoping that the ongoing research can bear some fruits."
Rono supports Amelia by exposing her to opportunities, encouraging and affirming her that she can do anything.
Royal Patches Foundation 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 modelling, they decided to start a club that would feel like home to people with vitiligo.
The foundation is also home to people with other diverse special immune conditions.
It holds modelling events each year to commemorate the celebrations of World Vitiligo Day.
Their main aim is to create awareness and clear the misconception that it is centred around people diagnosed with vitiligo.
The foundation is also actively involved in pageants because modelling is a form an art, and their skins are like art and canvas that can be used on the runway.