Adekunle Gold Foundation and PESA Launch 'We Are Not Done' Sickle Cell Impact Initiative

Adekunle Gold, whose music has lit up Lagos nights, stepped onto a hospital corridor in Abuja, clutching a worn‑out red bracelet that marked his own battle with sickle cell disease. The rhythm of his footsteps matched the steady pulse of the patients waiting for treatment, a quiet reminder that the disease that had shaped his life was still a silent storm for many. In that moment, the artist’s voice rose above the hum of the machines, not in song but in a pledge: We’re not done.

The pledge materialized into the We’re Not Done: AG Foundation Sickle Cell Impact Initiative when the Adekunle Gold Foundation teamed with Pesa. Pesa’s first‑round contribution of $20,000 set the stage for a program that would funnel resources into four already‑established organizations. These beneficiariesSickle Cell Advocacy Management Initiative (NIGERIA), Not Just You (CANADA), Sickle Life (GHANA), and **It Takes A Village (UK)**have each carved niches in education, advocacy, and patient support across their borders. The initiative’s goal is simple yet ambitious: strengthen healthcare access, amplify patient support, and deepen advocacy efforts for people living with sickle cell disease.

The collaboration is a mosaic of African, North American, and European efforts. In Nigeria, the Sickle Cell Advocacy Management Initiative has already begun training community health workers to recognize early symptoms. Across the Atlantic, Not Just You in Canada runs peer‑support groups for young adults navigating the disease’s social stigma. Ghana’s Sickle Life focuses on research funding, while It Takes A Village in the UK offers a helpline that connects families to specialists. By pooling funds and expertise, the initiative creates a transnational safety net that transcends borders.

Adekunle Gold’s own diagnosis gives the program authenticity. His public acknowledgment of living with sickle cell diseaserare among high‑profile Nigerian artistshas already sparked conversations in tabloids and talk shows. When he spoke at the launch, he said, “We’re Not Done is about turning awareness into action. There are incredible organisations working every day to improve the lives of people living with sickle cell, and together with Pesa, we want to give them more resources to do that work and reach even more people.” His words resonate because they come from lived experience rather than abstract philanthropy.

Tosin Olaniyi, Head of Global Growth & Marketing at Pesa, framed the partnership as a “force for meaningful change.” He noted, “Sickle cell affects many people in the Nigerian and wider Black communities we serve. These are our friends, colleagues, and loved ones.” Pesa’s role extends beyond funding; it includes strategic marketing to raise awareness and attract additional donors. By positioning the initiative as a platform that merges funding, advocacy, and visibility, Pesa aims to create measurable, lasting impact.

The initiative’s inaugural cycle will see the four beneficiaries expand their existing programmes, reach new communities, and deepen the support they provide. For the sickle cell community, the message is clear: the fight is far from over, but with allies like Adekunle Gold and Pesa, the tide is turning. As the artists and activists gather in Abuja, the air is charged with hope. The next chapter of the sickle cell story will not be written in isolation but in partnership, proving that when personal experience meets public platform, real change can begin.