Sickle Cell Patients Empowerment: Overcoming Stigma and Thriving in Entrepreneurship
In a bid to break the stigma surrounding sickle cell disorder (SCD) and promote entrepreneurship among patients, a non-profit organisation, Crimson Bow Sickle Cell Initiative, recently held the Grand Finale of “Project Empower A Warrior 3.0” in Lagos, Nigeria. The program brought together over 300 SCD patients to share their experiences and receive empowerment and training in entrepreneurship.
Opeyemi Afolabi, a SCD patient, shared her tale of woe, revealing how she was fired from her job after someone told her employer about her condition. Her experience highlights the very real challenges SCD patients face in the workplace, particularly in terms of stigmatisation and discrimination.
Afolabi urged her fellow patients to believe in themselves and not be intimidated by their condition. She advised, “You must prioritise your health. Don’t bite more than you can chew. You need to understand your body, strength, and weakness, while engaging in entrepreneurship.”
Mr Oluwagbohunmi Dada, another SCD patient and entrepreneur, urged patients to get involved in entrepreneurship, saying, “Sickle cell does not necessarily mean that you are to be confined or limited into a particular space.” He shared his own story of success, running a business and being married with kids, dispelling the notion that SCD patients are limited in their pursuits.
The event, with its theme “Health and Wealth: Balancing Entrepreneurship in Sickle Cell,” stresses the importance of entrepreneurship in improving the lives of SCD patients. The organisers empowered over 250 patients with various entrepreneurial skills and provided start-up grants for outstanding ones, aiming to break the cycle of poverty and stigma surrounding the condition.
The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Crimson Bow, Miss Timi Edwin, called for more efforts to make patients live a normal life, free from the constraints of stigmatisation and discrimination. “Health and entrepreneurship are key to surviving current economic challenges,” she emphasized.
As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of SCD, events like the Grand Finale of “Project Empower A Warrior 3.0” serve as a powerful reminder that patients with the disorder can, with the right support, overcome the odds and thrive in entrepreneurship.
