One Million African Lives Initiative

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.