The Sunday News
THEKWANE High school in Matabeleland North province has won this year’s provincial and national award for being the highest supplier of donated blood in the country. The school was presented with the award by the National Blood Services Zimbabwe Bulawayo assistant branch manager, Sister Anastacia Lubimbi, on Friday last week.
Speaking at the award ceremony held at the school, Sister Lubimbi said she was proud of the school which in spite of enrolling 600 pupils, it managed to outperform some schools with enrolment of above1 000 pupils.
“I am proud to say Thekwane High did well at provincial and national level. I am also pleased that they gave safe blood and I urge them to maintain their healthy status throughout their lives,” said Sister Lubimbi.
Thekwane was awarded for their consistency in donating blood and also for having the highest volumes in the country and the constant chipping in of new donors each time they donated.
Sister Lubimbi said while pupils were the biggest contributors to the blood bank, adults were the highest consumers of blood and its products.
The headmaster of Thekwane High Mr Salani Ndlovu said he was glad that the school managed to respond to the call of donating blood.
“As a mission school our thrust has always been to teach our children social responsibility, so we see students and staff members responding to the societal needs and we encourage them to remain steadfast in this worthy cause,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He applauded the Ministry of Health and Child Care for implementing the programme as it was helping in changing people’s lives.
The provincial education director of Matabeleland South Mrs Tumisang Thabela whose speech was read on her behalf by the Education Inspector for Matabeleland South, Mrs Evelyn Ncube said she was proud that the province had received such honour.
She said in line with this year’s theme of “Safe blood for saving mothers” the pupils had made a positive change to save life.
“Through child birth some mothers experience various complications including the loss of blood. More often than not it will lead to loss of life of the mother. The irony of it being the loss of life that occurred while giving life to her baby,” she said.
For being the national winners for the year 2013-2014 Thekwane High School was given desktop computers, a laptop, printers, internet dongles and 100 t-shirts courtesy of Net One.
The managing director of NetOne, Mr Reward Kangai, whose speech was read on his behalf by Bulawayo Branch supervisor Mr Clemence Makondo said the company took social responsibility seriously by assisting NBSZ’s efforts to strengthen its capacity to stock blood through sponsoring the national schools programme.
“This year each of the provincial winning schools will receive two desktop computers, two internet dongles, 100 t-shirts, a shield and a certificate. The overall winner will receive an extra desktop computer, a laptop, two more dongles and a printer,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Michael John Philips, 68, who will be making his 150th blood donation in October this year, said donating blood should be done from the heart.
“Donating blood should come from the heart, that way it will be much easier to carry out on a regular basis,” he said.
Mr Philips said his journey of donating blood started in 1968 when a friend invited him to donate blood and he had continued since then.
“A dear friend of mine invited me to donate blood at United Bulawayo Hospitals and I agreed and I have not turned back and I have managed to donate blood 149 times and I will be donating again in October to make it 150 donations and I am very proud of it,” said Mr Philips.
He said he was particularly touched by a man he met two years ago who needed eight pints of blood to save his life and he realised the importance of donating blood.
Mr Philips said there was no need for comradeship if people could not donate blood to help others.
“Why walk around calling each other comrades when we cannot save each other’s lives? There is a need for people to donate blood,” he said.
