Maru-a-Pula has partnered with the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) for the past 8 years to organise these events. Botswana suffers, like many countries, from a desperate shortage of blood – sometimes leading to avoidable deaths. Becoming a blood donor is a great habit to develop and can mean that one individual can save many lives over the course of their lifetime. In Botswana, many of those lives saved are women giving birth and victims of road accidents.
The day was run by NBTS and the Maru-a-Pula Medical Corps, a MaP Service for those interested in first aid and healthcare. The students helped with the organisation and paperwork and provided moral support to the more nervous donors. They were on duty from 08:00 until 15:00 and were a credit to the school, as were all of the brave staff and students who donated.
This event was the first of three to be held in 2024 and if you are 16 or older, 50kg or heavier, and fit and healthy, we hope to see you at the next one in May!
Jonathan Laverick
