Miss Botswana spearheads blood donation drive

Kgotso Kennekae | Wednesday October 23, 2013 16:29

 

She told Showbiz that she learnt about the shortage from her friend on social networking site Twitter. She researched on the issue and contacted the Minister of Health (Reverend Dr. John Seakgosing) about it.  'He is the one who confirmed this unfortunate circumstance we find ourselves in. 

He then referred me to the people of the national blood transfusion centre,' she explained. During a meeting at the national blood transfusion centre in Gaborone, the beauty queen agreed to become a blood donor ambassador.  She told the national blood transfusion centre staff that she can accompany them around the country to encourage people to donate blood.

'I also hope to bring in more Botswana celebrities to join me and create one big event where people could come and donate blood while having fun.  I also hope to rope in more companies to sponsor the national blood transfusion centre with Fanta, Orange and tennis biscuits that they give to people after they donate blood. 

I shall organise an event through Jack's gym for whom I am also an ambassador for people to come and donate blood before performing fun activities like aerobics.'

Keofitlhetse said she is already speaking to a few musicians like DJ Kuchi and A.T.I in a bid to use their services at a shopping centre in Gaborone to attract people during the blood donation campaign. 

'I will be speaking to almost all the musicians, radio and TV personalities to also join hands in the campaign to collect more blood. As long as people are willing to do their community work for basically free of charge, we would be willing to work with them,' she said.

There was a universal agreement during the meeting between the beauty queen and the national blood transfusion officials that the campaign would be boosted if major companies joined by encouraging their staff to donate blood and blood donation T-shirts.  The acting director for the national blood transfusion centre, Koketso Mosenki stated that they have already worked with Capital Bank on the same project.

'With Miss Keofitlhetse now on board, we hope to attract more companies to donate to the centre and get their staff to donate as much as they can before December,' he said.  He stated that they have accelerated the pace in the blood donation campaign in anticipation of the need for blood during the coming festive season.

Meanwhile, the blood donated this year stands at 20,000 litres compared to the target of 40,000 litres.  Joseph Moatshe of the national blood transfusion centre said this is a crisis. 

'I really hope that during our campaign with Keofitlhetse, most specifically when we go to shopping centres to get people to donate blood, we are joined by most Botswana celebrities to pull the crowds. We will use Keofitlhetse to attract more crowd pullers and hopefully through that, get more people to donate blood,' she said.

Keofitlhetse and the centre will launch a new motto for the campaign next week.