Khadija Mohamed Juma, a Kenyan nurse at Tudor Subcounty Hospital in Mombasa, was on Wednesday, May 7, shortlisted alongside nine others for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2025 that will see the winner pocket $250,000 (about Ksh32 million in current exchange rates) in the ceremony to be held in Dubai on May 26.
The 10 were contacted from over 100,000 registrations from nurses across 199 countries around the world, further pointing to the magnitude of Juma's achievement.
Her recognition stemmed from the innovation of her platform, RedSplash, which has revolutionised blood donation in the country.
Since its launch five years ago, Juma has led over 500 blood donation campaigns, collected more than 25,000 units of blood and saved at least 75,000 lives.
By transforming Kenya's emergency care, she has been previously recognised by the Commonwealth Youth Awards as well as being featured in global media.
Her app works as a Smart Donor Search app that connects donors to patients in real time and mobilises over 500 volunteers, all while breaking cultural taboos.
A quick snoop through the RedSplash official website reveals that its invention was not just a passion project but a necessity motivated by one of the founders, whose mother faced a tough road accessing blood when she needed it most.
"One of our co-founders had so much difficulty finding blood for his ailing mother; at times they could go up to two weeks trying to find just a single pint of blood," the 'our story' segment of the website read.
"Opportunists, taking advantage of the desperate situation, convinced the family to pay $180 for 6 units, which were delivered very late, and that too after going back and forth, hence affecting the treatment cycles. Eventually, that became a factor in the loss of her life. This had to change; hence, Redsplash Kenya was born."
The Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award honours the exceptional contributions of nurses worldwide. The founder and Chairman, Dr Azad Moopen, congratulated the top 10 finalists, terming them as leaders who deserved to be celebrated.
"The Top 10 finalists have demonstrated extraordinary dedication, skill, and compassion in their work, selected from over 100,000 registrations that were received for the 4th edition of Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award," Dr Moopen stated.
"These nurses are not just healthcare providers but true leaders, pushing boundaries and making a profound impact in their communities. Their exceptional contributions deserve to be recognised, and through this award, we celebrate their passion and commitment to improving lives across the globe."
Others making the top 10 lists were nurses hailing from Switzerland, Papua New Guinea, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, the United States, Malaysia, Ghana, and two from India.
