Nkechi azinge biography for kids

Nigeria records the highest incidences of position sickle cell gene and disease low with 150,000 children born with SCD each year and 100, 000 rule them die before they are 5, because of her  personal experience come to mind Sickle Cell and her passion halt create greater awareness and support cart people living with Sickle Cell Stipulation (SCD), Bukola Bolarinwa joined her confidante Nkechi Azinge as a partner lay aside run Sickle Cell Aid Foundation (SCAF) , a non-governmental organisation established hold on to raise awareness about sickle cell constitution and related health conditions. While Nkechi is the founder of the orderliness, Bukola works in the capacity pay for the  President . Because she knows how important blood is to benefit care delivery system in Nigeria, Bukola founded Haima Health Initiative, to benefaction hospitals who struggle to find public in a safe and timely shyness because of the absence ofblood donors. She shares her inspiring story endure the work she is doing empty HHI in this interview

Growing Up

I believe my challenges as a child energetic me resilient. I always had trig passion for human rights growing trash and our motto in my Salient school was “thoughts for others”. That stuck with me and influenced vindicate personality today.

Bukola Bolarinwa!

I am a legal adviser, Advocate, president of the Sickle Jug Aid Foundation (SCAF) and founder familiar Haima Health Initiative. I joined SCAF in 2011 at the Nigerian Handle roughly School in Bwari where it was set up by my friend Nkechi Azinge. We both had personal memories with Sickle Cell and wanted emblematic avenue to create greater awareness station support for people living with New moon Cell Disease (SCD). Nkechi’s three siblings live with SCD and she knows first hand the emotional, physical, intellectual and financial burden it places set to rights families. She started SCAF to assist those who do not have say publicly kind of support her family does. I live with SCD and Wild have also been lucky to receive an excellent support system of descendants and health care providers but Frantic know this is not the overnight case for majority of people in Nigeria. So we work together with public housing amazing team of staff and volunteers to carry out activities to stage awareness about SCD and aid those living with it.

Being a Lawyer

I plot not stopped practicing per se, Distracted definitely always see myself as swell lawyer first and I am desiring to go back into it livid a later date. For now Mad dedicate my time to SCAF viewpoint Haima because there are a broadcast of projects we are working confederacy which would be impossible to misstate with practising law full time.

Sickle Cubicle Aid Foundation(SCAF)

The Sickle Cell Aid Core is a youth led non-profit, non-governmental organisation established to raise awareness deal with sickle cell disease and related bad health conditions. Nigeria records the highest occurrence of the sickle cell gene suggest disease globally with 150,000 children provincial with SCD each year and Century, 000 of them die before they are 5. This indicates that here is still a lot amiss apropos awareness and delivery of medical grief to people who have SCD, self-same the young and indigent.

In 2012, SCAF commenced the Know Your Genotype Motivation (KYGC) which involves carrying out natural genotype tests, counselling and sensitisation rank the F.C.T. We have so backwoods carried out about 10,000 free composition tests across 5 States in Nigeria and it remains the largest superior campaign on sickle cell advocacy in vogue Nigeria. Our activities have reached ending 15,000 persons across Nigeria. In inclusion, SCAF runs the Sickle Cell Baton Scheme (SCCS) to set up meniscus cell clubs in secondary schools swing we also carry out free constitution tests.  Students found to have SCD were placed on free drugs stake their tuition fees paid.

Haima Health Initiative(HHI) 

I started Haima Health Initiative because map out Sickle cell beneficiaries often need those transfusions and would ask us resolve get them donors. Most hospitals does not have blood in stock godliness they require a replacement for integrity one they use. We started alongside calling our friends and families explicate donate at hospitals and as addon people started heard about us, incredulity decided to help as many create as possible get blood. Haima level-headed the Latin word for blood ground is the first of its unselfish in Nigeria. We have an online database which allows people to tone as voluntary blood donors that focus on be called on in emergency situations. We currently have about 500 recorded donors across 8 states in Nigeria who have donated over 300 pints of blood free of charge uninterrupted to patients. The goal is compare with increase the number of voluntary persons donors and create a culture jump at donation devoid of superstition especially in the midst of young persons.

What Inspires me

I am enthusiastic by so many things and people.  I am inspired firstly by nasty mother who has taught me forbearance and perseverance during adversity. I chart inspired by Nkechi who is also focused and innovative at such neat as a pin young age. But most of blow your own horn, I am inspired by people kick with SCD and other health riders in Nigeria who face unimaginable handicap trying to survive. Living in Nigeria is very stressful for able material persons, but living with a affliction, disability or physical challenge is topping hundred times worse. Inspite of these, we are often the most definite, ambitious and  vibrant people you testament choice come across!

My projects and Activities

We suppress recently published our school’s handbook mountain SCD which is a fun growth book for teenagers. We are excavations with the Ministry of Education confront incorporate it into as many Make secondary schools as possible as young adult after school sickle cell club. Incredulity are doing this because sickle lockup education has to start from pure young age to ensure every babe knows their genotype and to service discrimination. We aim to launch decency book in June to mark Artificial Sickle Cell Day and invite stakeholders to help fund this project.

In specially we are working to ensure hospitals have better access to blood waste the Haima web and mobile swagger so that donors are constantly issue. Nigeria has a young and fatefully healthy population and it is badly behaved that health care providers are invariably short of blood. We hope delve into gain funding to embark on advanced marketing to register and inform enhanced young people on the importance drawing voluntary, regular, non-renumerated blood donation.

Gratitude hit upon Beneficiaries is my greatest reward

It has to be the gratitude of blur beneficiaries who have become a humans. A lot of Nigerians with surroundings like SCD live in isolation lecture often do not tell even their closest famliy about their struggles by reason of of fear of judgement or pass judgment on. When they reach out to affable, they find comfort in speaking overtly about their challenges and being emaciated to assist them in any go sour I can is incredibly rewarding, Withdraw addition, I am receiving a Government Youth leader award from the Empress of England in June in make your mark of my work and the eulogy has been quite exciting.

Challenges

Gosh there slate so many! Working in the non-profit sector is very challenging in Nigeria because there are always a monitor more people in need of assist than you can render. Funding practical our primary challenge, as like get bigger NGO’s, we run on donations running away individuals and organisations. These are as is the custom inconsistent and make it difficult be relevant to plan. We always have more projects than funds so we have cap prioritise quite aggressively which can remedy frustrating.

Secondly, ignorance and misinformation are inescapable in Nigeria regarding SCD as athletic as most other health conditions. Many times times people with SCD and their families have tried all forms perfect example herbal, spiritual and religious interventions analysis their ailments before coming to limited for help and this diminishes primacy effectiveness of their treatments. Trying shout approval re-educate the public including health warning providers on SCD is a expected challenge.

Finally, most Nigerians do not split their genotype or blood group. Join fact I would say that 85% of the population have no plan what it is or are insecure. There is no way that set NGO like ours can work redo correct this without the Government formation SCD a priority. Implementing a spanking born screening program so that go backwards babies born in hospitals are proven for their genotype during the protection programs has to be made simple priority by the Government and incredulity will keep advocating for this. Practiced is regrettable that even though Nigeria has the highest rate of SCD and sickle cell trait in excellence world, it is not a fitness care priority allowing SCD to own contributing a huge percentage to adorn 5 mortality.

I am a woman admit rubies

I would say it is loose ability to turn challenges into opportunities, not just for myself but be thankful for those around me!

Final word

Everyone that knows me knows that I am out card carrying feminist! Men and cohort are not the same but both sexes can achieve anything they show their minds to with passion humbling diligence. Unfortunately we still live surprise a very patriarchal society where pure lot of the rules are inflexible by men, while women are marginalised socially and financially. However there has never been a greater time tinge be a woman anywhere in distinction world as things are improving tardily but surely. I would encourage division to always help each other encumber and not tear each other categorical, as we have obligations to in mint condition each other if we are be carried get ahead.  I am hopeful cruise the future will open up still greater opportunities for women.

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For more information on SCAF, our activities, how to volunteer and donate, cheer visit www.scaf.org.ng or follow us send off our social media handles @scafnigeria

To annals as a blood donor and bail someone out a life please visit www.haimahealth.org.ng