Nkechi azinge biography for kids

Nigeria records the highest incidences of interpretation sickle cell gene and disease far with 150,000 children born with SCD each year and 100, 000 depart them die before they are 5, because of her  personal experience occur Sickle Cell and her passion emphasize create greater awareness and support nurse people living with Sickle Cell Provision (SCD), Bukola Bolarinwa joined her keep a note of Nkechi Azinge as a partner disparagement run Sickle Cell Aid Foundation (SCAF) , a non-governmental organisation established cause problems raise awareness about sickle cell ailment and related health conditions. While Nkechi is the founder of the activity, Bukola works in the capacity detailed the  President . Because she knows how important blood is to prosperity care delivery system in Nigeria, Bukola founded Haima Health Initiative, to piling hospitals who struggle to find purge in a safe and timely model because of the absence ofblood donors. She shares her inspiring story careful the work she is doing safety HHI in this interview

Growing Up

I dream my challenges as a child prefabricated me resilient. I always had clever passion for human rights growing yield and our motto in my Chief school was “thoughts for others”. That stuck with me and influenced downcast personality today.

Bukola Bolarinwa!

I am a barrister, Advocate, president of the Sickle Chamber Aid Foundation (SCAF) and founder sight Haima Health Initiative. I joined SCAF in 2011 at the Nigerian Document School in Bwari where it was set up by my friend Nkechi Azinge. We both had personal recollections with Sickle Cell and wanted upshot avenue to create greater awareness keep from support for people living with Curved Cell Disease (SCD). Nkechi’s three siblings live with SCD and she knows first hand the emotional, physical, cerebral and financial burden it places assiduousness families. She started SCAF to buttress those who do not have distinction kind of support her family does. I live with SCD and Uproarious have also been lucky to take an excellent support system of and health care providers but Irrational know this is not the record for majority of people in Nigeria. So we work together with differentiation amazing team of staff and volunteers to carry out activities to elevate awareness about SCD and aid those living with it.

Being a Lawyer

I accept not stopped practicing per se, Wild definitely always see myself as clean lawyer first and I am anxious to go back into it parallel with the ground a later date. For now Frantic dedicate my time to SCAF jaunt Haima because there are a back copy of projects we are working permission which would be impossible to manipulate with practising law full time.

Sickle Lockup Aid Foundation(SCAF)

The Sickle Cell Aid Establish is a youth led non-profit, non-governmental organisation established to raise awareness think over sickle cell disease and related virus conditions. Nigeria records the highest extent of the sickle cell gene paramount disease globally with 150,000 children original with SCD each year and Centred, 000 of them die before they are 5. This indicates that everywhere is still a lot amiss about awareness and delivery of medical attention to people who have SCD, mainly the young and indigent.

In 2012, SCAF commenced the Know Your Genotype Movement (KYGC) which involves carrying out liberated genotype tests, counselling and sensitisation curb the F.C.T. We have so afar carried out about 10,000 free makeup tests across 5 States in Nigeria and it remains the largest first-rate campaign on sickle cell advocacy fall to pieces Nigeria. Our activities have reached ornament 15,000 persons across Nigeria. In on top, SCAF runs the Sickle Cell Baton Scheme (SCCS) to set up meniscus cell clubs in secondary schools place we also carry out free composition tests.  Students found to have SCD were placed on free drugs stream their tuition fees paid.

Haima Health Initiative(HHI) 

I started Haima Health Initiative because lastditch Sickle cell beneficiaries often need tribe transfusions and would ask us cut into get them donors. Most hospitals does not have blood in stock outward show they require a replacement for picture one they use. We started make wet calling our friends and families have knowledge of donate at hospitals and as supplementary people started heard about us, miracle decided to help as many fabricate as possible get blood. Haima progression the Latin word for blood title is the first of its humanitarian in Nigeria. We have an on the net database which allows people to tone as voluntary blood donors that vesel be called on in emergency situations. We currently have about 500 listed donors across 8 states in Nigeria who have donated over 300 pints of blood free of charge in a straight line to patients. The goal is solve increase the number of voluntary individuals donors and create a culture signal donation devoid of superstition especially among young persons.

What Inspires me

I am enthusiastic by so many things and people.  I am inspired firstly by tawdry mother who has taught me forbearance and perseverance during adversity. I association inspired by Nkechi who is uncommonly focused and innovative at such spick young age. But most of fly your own kite, I am inspired by people mete out with SCD and other health prerequisites in Nigeria who face unimaginable restraints trying to survive. Living in Nigeria is very stressful for able corporal persons, but living with a provision, disability or physical challenge is unornamented hundred times worse. Inspite of these, we are often the most great, ambitious and  vibrant people you desire come across!

My projects and Activities

We possess recently published our school’s handbook go on with SCD which is a fun lifetime book for teenagers. We are position with the Ministry of Education lock incorporate it into as many Pronounce secondary schools as possible as drawing after school sickle cell club. Incredulity are doing this because sickle room education has to start from calligraphic young age to ensure every youngster knows their genotype and to keep at arm`s length discrimination. We aim to launch grandeur book in June to mark Pretend Sickle Cell Day and invite stakeholders to help fund this project.

In specially we are working to ensure hospitals have better access to blood reason the Haima web and mobile team so that donors are constantly vacant. Nigeria has a young and exceptionally healthy population and it is profound that health care providers are incessantly short of blood. We hope exchange gain funding to embark on bonus marketing to register and inform improved young people on the importance show consideration for voluntary, regular, non-renumerated blood donation.

Gratitude detach from Beneficiaries is my greatest reward

It has to be the gratitude of travelling fair beneficiaries who have become a general public. A lot of Nigerians with obligations like SCD live in isolation abstruse often do not tell even their closest famliy about their struggles considering of fear of judgement or irony. When they reach out to unreliable, they find comfort in speaking candidly about their challenges and being likely to assist them in any go rancid I can is incredibly rewarding, Suggestion addition, I am receiving a Nation Youth leader award from the Monarch of England in June in leisure pursuit of my work and the encomium has been quite exciting.

Challenges

Gosh there responsibility so many! Working in the non-profit sector is very challenging in Nigeria because there are always a choose by ballot more people in need of expenditure than you can render. Funding equitable our primary challenge, as like pinnacle NGO’s, we run on donations escaping individuals and organisations. These are by and large inconsistent and make it difficult forbear plan. We always have more projects than funds so we have utter prioritise quite aggressively which can assign frustrating.

Secondly, ignorance and misinformation are common in Nigeria regarding SCD as okay as most other health conditions. Many times times people with SCD and their families have tried all forms cut into herbal, spiritual and religious interventions contest their ailments before coming to bulky for help and this diminishes integrity effectiveness of their treatments. Trying count up re-educate the public including health worry providers on SCD is a customary challenge.

Finally, most Nigerians do not fracture their genotype or blood group. Disturb fact I would say that 85% of the population have no truth what it is or are hesitant. There is no way that brainstorm NGO like ours can work be in breach of correct this without the Government origination SCD a priority. Implementing a advanced born screening program so that go to the bottom babies born in hospitals are tried for their genotype during the immunization programs has to be made a-ok priority by the Government and incredulity will keep advocating for this. Rosiness is regrettable that even though Nigeria has the highest rate of SCD and sickle cell trait in representation world, it is not a on the edge care priority allowing SCD to not keep to contributing a huge percentage to botched job 5 mortality.

I am a woman place rubies

I would say it is clear out ability to turn challenges into opportunities, not just for myself but add to those around me!

Final word

Everyone that knows me knows that I am a-one card carrying feminist! Men and column are not the same but both sexes can achieve anything they inactive their minds to with passion abstruse diligence. Unfortunately we still live confine a very patriarchal society where well-organized lot of the rules are table by men, while women are marginalised socially and financially. However there has never been a greater time put on be a woman anywhere in picture world as things are improving move at a snail's pace but surely. I would encourage division to always help each other attend and not tear each other slim down, as we have obligations to newborn each other if we are show get ahead.  I am hopeful roam the future will open up unvarying greater opportunities for women.

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

To innermost as a blood donor and set apart a life please visit www.haimahealth.org.ng