Approximately 100 students from the Interact Club of Kagarama Secondary School, together with rotarians and rotaractors of the Rotary Club Kigali Virunga (RCKV), joined the cause of donating blood in an initiative organised to rally young people to continue embracing blood donation campaigns. The drive aims to teach youth to be good citizens who care for others by “giving” what they have to help save lives in emergencies. It was launched on Saturday, November 22. Supported by Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), the initiative is part of the rotarians' preparations for their 25th anniversary, which will be celebrated in March next year. It is one of several activities planned to sensitise the public ahead of the anniversary date. ALSO READ: Huye: Rotarians provide nutritional support to vulnerable families Speaking at the launch, Carol Rugege, Director of Public Image at RCKV, highlighted the importance of blood, noting that it has no substitute. “We also know that every three seconds someone needs blood transfusion. That's why it's so important for people to donate as often as they can,” she said. ALSO READ: Rwanda unveils four initiatives to end blood expiry by 2027 In 2024, RBC collected 84,383 blood units from 58,688 donors. Men accounted for over 70 per cent of donations, with women contributing about 30 per cent. Youth aged 18 to 25 were the leading donor group, making up 65.3 per cent of the total. Gratia Dushime, a staff member in RBC’s Blood Transfusion Division, said that blood donation is essential because it saves lives by providing critical transfusions for patients undergoing surgery, those involved in trauma incidents, and individuals with chronic illnesses such as cancer and sickle cell disease. “Anyone who is eligible can donate from 18 to 60 years old, as long as they are in good health.,” she noted. “Young people are the best target group because they are in good health compared to older adults, many of whom have conditions such as hypertension that make them ineligible to donate,” she added. ALSO READ: Rotarians boost fight against polio in Rwanda, globally Paul Birungi, a Past Assistant District Governor (PADG) who has been a member of the Rotary Club Kigali Virunga since 2000 and the organiser of the event, said that the voluntary blood donation aligns with rotary’s mission to train young people to become good citizens and future leaders. ALSO READ: From queue to click: Rwanda's digital transformation of blood donation Robert Fogler, an American Rotarian and member of RCKV, who is a universal donor and has been donating blood for over 30 years, said donating blood is something he enjoys doing for humanitarian reasons. “I encourage young people to be at the forefront. Every time I read about a friend who had a car accident and was struggling to find blood, it reminds me how important this is,” he said. Ornella Teta Immortal Nessia, 18, an Interact Club member and blood donor who is in Senior Six studying Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology, said that through the club they have learned about charity activities, and this initiative is one of the many they take part in.
