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Kenyan nurse honoured in Dubai for revolutionary blood donation programme
Nurse Khadija being received by friends after jetting back from UAE.
What you need to know:
- During this year’s ceremony, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, shared a special message applauding Aster’s effort in putting a spotlight on the contributions of nurses worldwide.
Kenyan nurse Khadija Mohamed Juma received a hero's welcome on Tuesday after securing a top 10 finalist position at the prestigious Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2025 in Dubai.
The event held on Monday saw Naomi Oyoe Ohene Oti from Ghana clinch the top honour, along with a cash prize of $250,000.
Oti is an Oncology Nurse Specialist and Head of Nursing at the National Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, in Ghana.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sherrif Nassir, who welcomed Khadija Mohammed back to Mombasa, said that her journey was a testament to the power of community-rooted healthcare, resilience and compassion. He emphasised that Khadija remains Mombasa and Kenya’s undisputed champion.
“Yesterday, we proudly welcomed Nurse Khadija Mohammed back home from the UAE — a true daughter of Mombasa who has put Kenya on the global map! Out of over 100,000 applicants from 199 countries, Khadija was one of the top ten finalists for the prestigious 2025 Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award,” his statement read.
Nurse Khadija at the Mombasa International Airport after jetting back from UAE.
'Deliver blood faster than pizza'
Khadija Mohammed, 29, works at Tudor Sub-County Hospital in Mombasa, and is the founder of RedSplash, a community-driven blood donation programme that uses a smart algorithm to connect donors to patients in urgent need. Her model is as simple as it is ambitious: “Deliver blood faster than pizza.”
Through a Smart Donor Search algorithm, RedSplash connects donors with patients in real-time.
“This isn’t just about medicine it’s about saving lives when seconds count. RedSplash began with heartbreak, but it’s turned into hope for thousands,” she said.
Her inspiration came after witnessing the preventable death of a friend’s mother, who died waiting for a blood transfusion.
Moved by the tragedy, she took action. What began as grassroots outreach in schools and mosques has grown into a nationwide campaign that’s reshaped the way Kenyans think about blood donation.
She hopes to take RedSplash further, building Kenya’s first independent blood bank and equipping mobile donation vans to reach remote areas.
The Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award was launched in 2021 to recognise the invaluable role of nurses in healthcare.
The award was presented by His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, UAE, in the presence of Dr Azad Moopen and Alisha Moopen.
During this year’s ceremony, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, shared a special message applauding Aster’s effort in putting a spotlight on the contributions of nurses worldwide.
Winners of the award receive a grand prize of $250,000 (Sh32.3 million).