Foundation Gives Free Genotype Tests to 375 in Lagos

By Salami Adeyinka

SickleVive Care and Empowerment Foundation has provided free genotype testing and sickle cell sensitisation to more than 375 students and residents in Alimosho, Lagos.

Over 75 residents received free genotype testing, with several learning their status for the first time.

The three-day outreach was held in partnership with four organisations including SDG Youth Connect, Rabiu Olowo Foundation, and The Star Foundation .

It was held across Igando Community Senior High School, Ikotun Senior High School, and the Alimosho Local Government Secretariat.

The Founder of SickleVive Care and Empowerment Foundation, Racheal Majekodunmi said the outreach was designed to move sickle cell conversations from reactive to preventive, particularly among young people.

“People living with sickle cell deserve more than survival. They deserve understanding, support, access to healthcare, and communities that truly see them,” she said.

The sessions focused on sickle cell awareness, genotype compatibility, climate health, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Each partner organisation played a defined role in the initiative. SickleVive led programme coordination and content delivery across all three venues. SDG Youth Connect grounded the sessions within the Sustainable Development Goals framework.

Rabiu Olowo Foundation donated the rapid diagnostic kits used for community genotype testing. Alimosho Local Government Area handled community mobilisation and venue access.

The Star Foundation, founded by Angel Emeka, Miss Ideal Nigeria 2025, extended the outreach’s visibility beyond the three days it ran on the ground.

Research shows that Nigeria carries one of the highest burdens of sickle cell disease globally, yet awareness gaps remain widespread, particularly among young people navigating relationships and family planning.

Community-level outreach initiatives focused on early genotype education are increasingly seen as critical to shifting that dynamic.

For SickleVive, the measure of the outreach’s impact extends beyond the number of tests administered or sessions delivered.

“The most important thing that happened in Alimosho was not the testing or the numbers,” Majekodunmi said. “It was the question a girl was finally brave enough to ask, and the room that was finally ready to answer.”