Blood Donor Sensitization Workshop-Universities

This year, Bloodlink Foundation has been mandated by the National Blood Transfusion Services to recruit and mobilize for blood donors within Public and Private Universities in Kenya.

In March 2008, two blood donor sensitization workshops were held at East African Portland Cement Sports Club on the 8th and 15th.During these workshops, a total of 82 students from Daystar University (Valley Road and Athi River Campuses) were trained.Daystar University is the first university in which we began our campaigns within universities.

On 18th April 107 students from Moffat Bible school were also trained in Blood Donor sensitization.

On 18th April 17 students who are members of AISEC Kenya attended a workshop which was held at University of Nairobi.

On 2nd August 2008 a total of 104 students from eight different universities were trained. The eight universities that were trained include:-University of Nairobi, Strathmore University, Kenyatta University, JKUAT,USIU, Catholic University,Daystar University and African Nazarene University.

On 27th August 2008, 106 students from Moi University were trained on blood donor sensitization. The student were representatives from the five campuses of Moi University i.e. Law School, School of Medicine, Main Campus, Chepkoilel Campus, and West Campus.

The impact of these trainings is as follows:-

• More students are made aware of the importance of voluntary blood donation.
• Students are sensitizaed on the importance of safe lifestyles to ensure safe blood donations.
• Students are empowered to speak boldly about blood donations and thus recruit their peers into regular and safe blood donation.
• As a result more successful blood drives have been held in many universities and many unit of blood collected.