Keep 500 Sick Kids Alive in Crisis-Hit Communities

Dear partners,

Children living with sickle cell disease face painful and dangerous crises when their red blood cells sickle and block blood flow. These episodes are often triggered by environmental stressors — especially sudden temperature changes. Unfortunately, in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and informal settlements across Northern Nigeria, children are exposed to exactly the conditions that make crises more likely.

Most families live in uninsulated tents or makeshift shelters that offer little protection from the weather. At night, temperatures drop sharply, exposing children to cold air that directly triggers sickling. During the day, extreme heat inside plasticsheeted shelters causes dehydration, another major driver of painful vasoocclusive crises. These environmental extremes create a daily cycle of risk that sickle cell children cannot escape.

Our project is designed to address these root causes headon. With your support, we are providing families with protective materials such as warm clothing, blankets, and insulated coverings to reduce cold exposure at night. We are also supplying hydration packs, oral rehydration salts, and caregiver education to help children stay hydrated during the intense daytime heat. Through our mobile clinics, we will monitor vulnerable children closely, treat early signs of crisis, and teach parents how to reduce environmental triggers inside their shelters.

In the coming days, once GlobalGiving disburses the next round of funds, we will also begin a radio advocacy campaign to reach thousands of caregivers with practical guidance on preventing temperaturerelated crises. This outreach will help families understand why cold nights and hot days are dangerous for sickle cell children — and what simple steps they can take to protect them.

Your generosity is helping us confront the environmental realities that make life so difficult for sickle cell children in displacement camps. I will return soon with updates from the field so you can see the impact your kindness is making.

Thank you for standing with these children.

Warmly,

Dear partners,

As the rainy season begins across Nigeria, sickle cell children face a unique set of challenges that put their health at greater risk. While rainfall brings relief from heat, it also increases exposure to infections, cold temperatures, and environmental conditions that can trigger painful crises. For many families in crisishit and displaced communities, this season is one of the most difficult periods of the year.

During the rains, children are more vulnerable to respiratory infections, malaria, and pneumonia — all of which can rapidly worsen sickle cell symptoms. Cold weather often triggers vasoocclusive pain episodes, while damp living conditions in displacement camps increase the risk of fungal and bacterial infections. Flooded roads and washedout pathways make it harder for families to reach hospitals quickly during emergencies, leading to dangerous delays in care.

Our project is working to address these seasonal challenges headon. With your support, we are providing essential medicines, warm clothing, malaria prevention tools, and emergency transport assistance for families who struggle to reach care during storms. We are also preparing to launch a radio awareness program that will educate caregivers on how to protect their children during the rainy season — including hydration tips, early warning signs of infection, and when to seek urgent medical attention.

Your generosity is helping us keep sickle cell children safe during one of the most challenging times of the year. I will return soon with updates from the field so you can see the impact your kindness is making.

Thank you for standing with these children.

Warmly, 

Elizabeth