UNIMA Clubs Host Life-Saving Blood Drive

Students at the University of Malawi belong to various clubs, many of which engage in activities that give back to the community in diverse ways. Recently, on October 24, 2024, the UNIMA Leo Club and the Rotaract Club of Zomba organized a blood drive that attracted over 100 students and various other people from the surrounding community.

The UNIMA Leo Club fosters leadership development in young people through service activities that benefit the community, while the Rotaract Club focuses on a global network, leadership skills development, and community service projects, among other objectives. This event aimed to encourage blood donations, addressing the critical need for blood in local hospitals. Beyond merely collecting donations, the drive also provided an opportunity for young people to develop and exercise their leadership skills through planning and executing an impactful community service activity.

The two clubs used the Sports Complex as the central location for the donations to be carried out. The organizers were impressed by the enthusiastic turnout of students who donated blood. The President of the UNIMA Leo Club, Mr. Ulemu Mpekansambo, noted that in a previous blood drive, they collected only 72 donations. The President of the Rotaract Club, Mr. Leonard Kayuni, expressed gratitude to all the students who sacrificed their time to make this significant contribution. “This time, the Malawi Blood Transfusion Service managed to collect 119 donations, representing a 63% increase,” Kayuni said.

 “While the UNIMA Leo Club has hosted several blood drives individually, we recognized that by working together, we could achieve even more,” said Mpekansambo. “By leveraging our networks and resources, we aimed to make a more substantial impact on our community.”

The collection of blood was conducted by the Malawi Blood Transfusion Service Blantyre team. They gathered blood of various types, including A (positive and negative), O (positive and negative), B (positive and negative), and AB positive. The sports complex was filled with both male and female students interested in donating blood. Only students weighing 50 kg and above were allowed to participate in the blood donation, with 450 ml collected from each. For students weighing below 50 kg, 350 ml was collected. During the donation, drinks and biscuits were provided to all students who donated blood to boost their energy and fluid levels, as well as to increase body fluids, which help in the formation of blood cells.

The motivation behind the blood drive stemmed from a shared desire to make a positive difference. Both clubs understand the critical need for blood among various patients, including children, pregnant mothers, and accident victims, and they recognize that timely donations can save lives. By organizing the drive close to campus, they hoped to encourage more students to participate.

One of the students who donated blood for the first time, Mr. Rodney Tewesa, a fourth-year student, said he was motivated by the fact that donating blood saves lives. As a student, he believes he has a role to play in his community by donating blood, advocating for donations, and volunteering. He urged his fellow students who have not yet donated to do so in order to help save lives.