By Emmanuel Daniji

Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold is taking his fight against sickle cell disease beyond awareness campaigns, joining forces with global financial platform Pesa to support organisations working to improve the lives of people living with the condition.

Through the Adekunle Gold Foundation, the singer has launched a new programme called We’re Not Done: AG Foundation Sickle Cell Impact Initiative. The initiative aims to provide funding and support to organisations involved in healthcare access, patient care, education, awareness and advocacy.

Pesa has committed $20,000 to kick-start the programme, which will support four organisations working with sickle cell communities in Nigeria, Canada, Ghana and the United Kingdom.

The beneficiaries are Sickle Cell Advocacy Management Initiative in Nigeria, Not Just You in Canada, Sickle Life in Ghana, and It Takes A Village in the UK. The funding is expected to help them strengthen their existing programmes, reach more people and expand the support they provide to patients and their families.

For Adekunle Gold, the initiative is personal. The singer has spoken openly about living with sickle cell disease and has continued to use his platform to draw attention to the challenges faced by people with the condition.

He explained that the goal is to move beyond public awareness and provide practical support to organisations already doing important work within the community.

“We’re Not Done is about turning awareness into action,” the singer said, adding that the partnership would give these organisations more resources to reach and support more people.

Pesa is partnering with the foundation on the launch and first phase of the programme. Tosin Olaniyi, the company’s Head of Global Growth and Marketing, said sickle cell affects many people in Nigerian and wider Black communities, including friends, colleagues and family members.

Olaniyi said the partnership was an opportunity to support people affected by the condition through practical assistance, rather than limiting the effort to awareness alone.

The initiative is designed to bring funding, advocacy and public visibility together, with the aim of creating a stronger support system for people living with sickle cell disease.

Founded in 2023 by Adekunle Gold, the Adekunle Gold Foundation focuses on improving access to healthcare, raising awareness and advocating for people living with sickle cell disease.

With the launch of We’re Not Done, the singer is expanding that work by supporting organisations already providing help to affected communities. The initiative also highlights the importance of sustained funding and collective action in addressing a condition that continues to affect many families.