Elumelu’s Foundation, Others Honour NGO Over Positive Strides

First published on The Vanguard

Haima Health Initiative was recently honoured as one of the most innovative Non Governmental Organisations, NGOs, in Nigeria. The recognition came at BusinessDay’s Top 25 Most Innovative Companies and Institutions Awards 2017, held at Eko Hotel and Suites. The awards ceremony, which holds annually, was aimed to recognize companies operating on innovations to weather the storm and thrive despite the challenges in the economy. It sets out to encourage healthy competition and innovation in Nigerian organisations.

According to BusinessDay, Haima Health was recognised for leveraging on technology to improve blood availability to people in dire need and building Nigeria’s first mobile and web platform. The youth-led organization made the list because it is creating a database of voluntary donors and linking them to patients in real-time using GPS, mobile and web technology. The organization was recognized alongside the MTN Foundation, British American Tobacco Foundation, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund and the Tony Elumelu Foundation. In her remark, Founder, HHI, Bukola Bolarinwa, said, “We are humbled and honored to receive this recognition. Considering the fact that we are relatively new and a movement of young people, being recognized alongside well known brands means a lot to us. It will surely encourage us to do more.” She further stressed that “most Nigerians do not know blood donation reduces the risk of getting cancer, calling on Nigerians to support the organisation as the monthly blood drives and sensitization activities carried out cost a fortune.