Asel Kalaganova (14 years old) and Kamila Kalaganova (2 years old) were both born with pale skin, hair, eyebrows and eyes due to albinism . Depending on the country, the rate of people with this condition usually ranges from 1/3,000 to 1/20,000, according to the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH). At the age of 10, Asel started working as a model. Since Kamila was born and appeared in photos with her sister, the two girls have increasingly won the hearts of many people thanks to their beautiful and unique appearance.

“People in Kazakhstan were surprised to see our appearance. They don’t know what albinism is,” Asel said. Aiman ​​Sarkitov – Asel and Kamila’s mother – was also surprised when Asel was born. “At first, everyone was shocked. I don’t know what happened to me to make my child like this. The doctors kept insisting that my child’s father was Russian. After that, I started to research and learned that my child had albinism,” the mother said.

The Kalaganova family has 3 children. Between Asel and Kamila there is also Aldiyar (8 years old). Unlike his sisters, the boy has dark skin typical of Kazakh people. At first, Aldiyar did not wonder about her sister’s appearance. However, the boy started paying attention after his sister was born. Aldiyar asked: “Mom, why are my sister and I like this? Why am I not like them? After her mother explained, Aldiyar was very happy, even proud to show off to everyone about her strange-looking sister.

According to NOAH, most people with albinism have skin and eyes that need protection from direct sunlight. Asel and Kamila know this. “If you go out in the afternoon, make sure you always apply sunscreen, wear long clothes, wear a hat or use an umbrella to protect your skin. In the evening, things are often easier,” Asel said.

As a child, Asel attended a school for disabled children. After that, she transferred to school for normal people. Aiman ​​revealed that his daughter is very good at studying. “At first, of course, it was difficult because her classmates stared at her. Now it’s better. We don’t stop our children from doing anything,” said the mother of three children.

Asel used to hate being photographed. However, everything changed when she graduated from modeling school. 10X becomes more confident in himself and even enjoys posing for the camera. “Of course, there are still some people who make fun of my appearance. But there are many people around who like and support me more. I am very grateful to them for this. I don’t think I’m special, I’m just normal like everyone else,” Asel said.

Asel’s modeling career is developing well. She was invited to participate in Children’s Fashion Week in Nur Sultan. In the future, Asel wants to achieve great success in the fashion industry. In everyday life, 10X is like any other teenager, likes to walk, chat with friends, watch movies and play with his two younger siblings in his free time. “I admire Angelina Jolie for her acting ability and beauty. That is the strong, purposeful role model that I aim for,” Asel revealed to Harper’s Bazaar Kazakhstan.

Talking about taking modeling photos with his younger sister Kamila, Asel expressed: “She’s only 2 years old so her temperament can be erratic. Therefore, working together can be difficult at times. However, she is doing well. I think Kamila is used to filming and taking photos.”

Asel’s personal page currently has more than 51,000 followers. There, photos taken with her sister Kamila often attract tens of thousands of likes. Netizens love to watch the two sisters together and do not hesitate to praise them as “angels”.