The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) has launched the Good Hood campaign to bring blood donations to the people and reach donors within their communities.
Often seen as a time-consuming activity, the Good Hood campaign aims to bring community-minded individuals together at their residential complex or estate to make their donations.
“The launch of the Good Hood campaign comes at a time when individuals are hunkering down at home to avoid increasing their risk of Covid-19 infection while donating blood.
“The campaign aims not only to make the donation process convenient but also addresses the misnomer that setting up a blood drive is admin-intensive and requires lengthy management and planning,” said Nomthandazo Mosupye, SANBS senior manager for marketing and communication.
“For the converted, blood donation is a no-brainer. Taking just 30 minutes in a donor centre is an easy way to save lives and give others a second chance at life.
“The story is different for those who are not donors. Fear of needles and access to donor centres are common reasons people give for not giving blood. SANBS wants to change that through the Good Hood campaign.”
Mobile blood drives set up in community spaces certainly tackle the challenge of people’s unwillingness to travel to donate.
SANBS also wants to give individuals in communities, who have always wanted to get involved in community work, an opportunity to make their contribution through blood donation.
The campaign is rooted in the concept of getting communities to band together to assist blood recipients who live among them in their neighbourhoods. To recognise the generosity and selflessness of each participating community, SANBS would acknowledge and celebrate each neighbourhood as a Good Hood.
“Being labelled a Good Hood will show others that blood donation does not just have to be an individual activity – it can become a community and family activity too. We want to appeal to everyone’s inclination towards civic responsibility for this campaign to be a success,” Mosupye added.
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