News and Stories
Warriors Raise Their Voices—and Spirits—at Camp Wanwɔd
Singing, games, and reflections on community complemented lessons on disease self-management at Camp Wanwↄd, a PEN-Plus integrated camp recently held for young people living with either type 1 diabetes or sickle cell disease in Sierra Leone.
Bukhman Foundation Provides Support for PEN-Plus Integrated Camps
The Bukhman Foundation recently announced a three-year partnership with the NCDI Poverty Network to support the expansion and evaluation of PEN-Plus camps. These integrated camps bring young type 1 diabetes warriors together with those living with other severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases for education about their condition and a greater sense of community.
Pujehun PEN-Plus Clinic Offers a Lifeline in Sierra Leone
Every few months, 19-year-old Mohamed Tejan travels nearly 200 miles from Freetown, Sierra Leone, to a PEN-Plus clinic in the southern part of the country. There he receives care for sickle cell disease, along with free medicine that is not available to him in the capital, free or otherwise. His long journey there—and more recently to a PEN-Plus camp—also connects him with a community of other sickle cell warriors.
Photo Gallery: Camp Wanwɔd 2026
Witness the joy of Camp Wanwↄd, a PEN-Plus camp recently held for young people living with either type 1 diabetes or sickle cell disease in Sierra Leone.
Stepping from the Background to Center Stage
Daniel Mulowa, an 11-year-old with sickle cell disease, experienced a transformative week at an PEN-Plus camp last summer. The camp, held in Zambia for young people with sickle cell disease or type 1 diabetes, showed the power of peer support, health education, and empowerment.
‘I Am a Warrior’: PEN-Plus Camp Shows the Power of Peer Support for Young People Living with Severe NCDs
“I am a warrior. I am brave. I am triumphant.” With that mantra, participants in Camp Tuli Bonse—an integrated camp for young people living in Zambia with type 1 diabetes or sickle cell disease—learned how a sense of unity can confer benefits beyond physical health.
Photo Gallery: Zimbabwe Hosts Diabetes and Sickle Cell Disease Camp
Young people living with type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, or both gathered in Zimbabwe in August 2025 for a week of health education, peer support, and empowerment, sharing experiences and learning how to manage their health in a camp setting. SolidarMed Zimbabwe, a PEN-Plus implementing partner of the NCDI Poverty Network, hosted the camp.
Camp to Bring Together Youth Living with Severe Conditions for Fun, Solidarity, and Support
Camp Tuli Bonse, an integrated summer camp, will bring together about 60 children, adolescents, and young adults living with either type 1 diabetes or sickle cell disease for a week of health education, support, solidarity, and fun in Chongwe, Zambia, from August 18 to 22.
Youth Camps Bring Support Beyond Clinical Care
Camps that bring together young people living with a severe noncommunicable disease are showing that the benefits of integrated care can extend far beyond clinical settings. The first such camps—held this year in Rwanda and Zimbabwe—hosted young people with type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and childhood heart disease.