Initiative empowers 250 sickle cell patients with skills, grants

Crimson Bow Sickle Cell Initiative has empowered 250 sickle cell patients with skills and grants during its Project Empower a Warrior 3.0 themed “Health and Wealth: Balancing Entrepreneurship in Sickle Cell.

The entrepreneurship skills were in photography, graphic design, catering, soap making, disinfectant, perfume and bleach making and make-up. A panel discussion on theme was moderated by Adebola Adedeji.

Also, 10 outstanding patients got N50,000 each to start or boost their businesses, while the winner of the Business Pitch Competition was awarded N500,000, the first runner-up 250,000 while second runner-up got N150,000.

Founder/Chief Executive Officer of Crimson Bow, Timi Edwin, said the organization is committed to creating support for sickle cell individuals to live life in all its fullness.

Edwin, also a sickle cell patient, said the goal of the empowerment is to inspire hope, improve health and well-being of sickle cell people. The event’s special guest of honour, wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, called for stakeholders’s support to ensure people with sickle cell live a normal life.

Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mrs. Toyin Suarau, wife of a former Lagos lawmaker, commended the NGO’s commitment toward empowering sickle cell patients. On her part, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Feyisayo Alayande, said the agency has employability programmes to make residents, including those with sickle cell contribute to society.

“We understand the unique challenges faced by those with sickle cell disease, particularly in balancing their health with entrepreneurial pursuits.

“We believe that everyone, regardless of their health condition deserves the opportunity to achieve their dreams and contribute to society,” Alayande said. In his goodwill message, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said that Sickle Cell disorder affected significant number of people in Nigeria, noting that the state government had provided huge support for patients.

Abayomi, represented by Dr Bodunrin Osikomaiya, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Services, said over a thousand units of blood have been given to sickle cell patients during their crisis moment.