By Staff Reporter, Lusaka
A 15-year-old Mwenda Phiri has started the Mwenda Phiri Initiative (MPI) in service of child health to raise awareness and funds for paediatric haematology and ICU in Africa after he experienced a severe sickle cell crisis on 18th October, 2017 following minor surgery that resulted in Acute Chest Syndrome that put him in ICU for 8 days.
Mwenda says MPI raises funds for hospitals and support groups in Zambia as well as bursaries for further studies in haematology for Zambian medical doctors.
“We also facilitate for international doctors to offer haematology and paediatric services to hospitals in Zambia. Join us in this initiative,” he explains.
He says he was fortunate to have access to specialist doctors, equipment, medicine and facilities that saved him.
“However, this is not the case for a lot of children in Africa,” says Mwenda.
Mwenda currently lives in Cape Town, South Africa and has disclosed that he loves acting and has won many awards for it.
“I love music especially artists like Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott and Quavo and I love community service. I'm the
current Vice President for the Interact Club at my school Parklands College,” he says.
He further explains that he has sickle cell anaemia also known as Sickle cell disease (SCD).
“SCD is an inherited blood disorder that causes red blood cells to turn into a sickle shape under certain conditions. These cells die early, creating a shortage of healthy red blood cells causing anaemia. The sickled cells can block blood flow to major organs causing a lot of pain in what is known as a sickle cell crisis,” he says adding that most children with SCD are of African ancestry but children of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and South Asian ancestry are also affected but the disease is not contagious.
Mwenda has since conveyed his specials thanks to Africa Trust Academy for pledging 10% of all their revenue to this initiative.
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