04 Mar Empowering Kids to Save Lives

Mini Medics is an initiative that empowers children as young as six years old with the skills and confidence to act in an emergency.

At the heart of this initiative is Nathanael Block, a passionate advocate for First Aid education. Together with occupational therapist Anne Blokker, they developed Mini Medics to make lifesaving knowledge accessible to children in a way that’s easy to understand.

Today, under AIEM’s leadership, the programme has expanded significantly, with dedicated instructors helping young learners master essential skills.

One of the biggest challenges in teaching young children first aid is simplifying complex skills like CPR. AIEM takes a hands-on, interactive approach – because kids learn best by doing.

WHAT KIDS LEARN

Mini Medics goes beyond CPR, teaching children how to handle real-life emergencies, including:

• Stopping bleeding
• Treating burns
• Managing choking incidents
• Dealing with dehydration
• Water safety

AIEM envisions rolling out Mini Medics to as many schools as possible, prioritising rural areas where emergency response services may be limited. Countries like Sweden and the Netherlands already incorporate CPR training into school curriculums—and they’ve seen significant reductions in cardiac arrest deaths. AIEM wants to make that same impact in South Africa.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

AIEM welcomes collaborations with schools and parents to bring Mini Medics to more communities. The team is ready to organise courses anywhere in South Africa and can even translate the manual into any required language.

But beyond the statistics and training, the most rewarding part is seeing the joy on a child’s face when they realise they’ve learned a skill that could save a life.

Want to bring Mini Medics to your school or community? Contact AIEM to learn more.