Neema Mohamed, a sickle cell disease advocate in Tanzania, has been living with the condition since age ten. When she first exhibited symptoms, in the absence of a known family history, healthcare providers doubted she could have the disease. Her mother, a nurse, convinced them to test her daughter for sickle cell disease, though, and she has continued to play a critical caregiving role for her daughter since.

“I accept the reality that I have sickle cell disease, and I plead with all people with sickle cell disease that when you accept your condition, the door to happiness and opportunity will start to open,” Mohamed said. “We must break the sickle cell cycle by raising awareness and bringing access to blood transfusion for those living with this difficult diagnosis.”

With this belief, Mohamed joined with other sickle cell warriors to form the Bone and Blood Foundation, which raises community awareness about the importance of donating blood with the aim of saving lives and helping Tanzania’s National Blood Transfusion Service reach its annual targets.

Since joining the NCDI Poverty Network’s Voices for PEN-Plus program in April 2024, Mohamed has been active in the Network’s advocacy efforts.