About Us

NBA Star and 2005 Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor has partnered with Safe Blood for Africa Foundation to create the One Million African Lives Initiative (MLI) as a means to fight the rise of HIV infections through blood transfusions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Having visited Nigeria many times throughout his life, the country where his parents were born, Emeka has witnessed firsthand the devastating toll caused by HIV-infected blood transfusions.

Having long sought a means to fight this epidemic, it wasn't until learning that of the 6 million blood transfusions performed each year in Sub-Saharan Africa, less than 50% are screened for HIV and all other infections diseases, that Emeka sought a partnership with the Safe Blood for Africa Foundation. Together they created the One Million African Lives Initiative, (MLI) to save 1 million lives over the next 5 years. Working together, Emeka and the Safe Blood For Africa Foundation will distribute 10 million test kits to 45 Sub-Saharan countries at a rate of 2 million kits a year for the next 5 years. In addition, One Million African Lives Initiative will foster technical training, clinical education, and quality system administration for effective donor recruitment and blood screening.