The SCD Livelihood fund was started by Africa Sickle Cell Organisation due to rising livelihood needs in our partner communities.

Beyond access and affordability to care, we realised nutrition, educational attainment, shelter and sanitation affected patient health outcomes. Specifically, to maintain health weights and strong immune systems patients required 3+ healthy nutritious meals. In addition, with dehydration being a great trigger of sickle cell crises, their ability to access and drink clean safe water directly affected their health outcomes.

Furthermore, with access to care strengthened, we have noticed a number of young adults seek out education opportunities now that they are significantly healthier. Lastly, low income SCD households focus their resources on the most basic needs and healthcare whilst viewing optimal shelter and sanitation as a secondary need.

To address this need ASCO will be contributing 10% of its core program support towards this fund. Moreover, since we are yet to build our donor profile supporting livelihoods, we have requested our existing donors to contribute 10% of total grant and donations to this fund.

To support this we have developed a Livelihood policy that explains why, how and what of our livelihood fund.

See our policy below

ASCO donations go towards our Sickle Cell Livelihood Fund.