Blood donation instills sense of social responsibility in youth

As part of the “Joy for Everyone” initiative, a group of youth in collaboration with Max Media, the Ministry of Health and other charitable organizations and local hospitals organized a blood donation campaign on Tuesday at Mall of Arabia in Jeddah.
Mohammed Burai, media coordinator of the campaign told Arab News that the aim of organizing such an event is to instill a sense of social responsibility in the youth and raise awareness about our duty as a society toward those less fortunate members. He added that they chose to launch the campaign during Ramadan since the holy month is a time in which Muslims strive to enhance their good deeds.
Burai said the two-day event was warmly received, especially by the youth who turned out in large numbers to donate blood. A team of young doctors from King Fahd hospital volunteered their services and monitored the campaign.
On the sidelines of the blood donation campaign, volunteers discussed with the youth the importance of performing good deeds, acting kindly toward others, communicating respectively with other people and extending a helping hand to the less fortunate.
Apart from the blood donation campaign, the “Joy for Everyone” initiative included a host of benevolent activities including visiting orphan homes and having iftar with the children, visiting sick patients and providing them with moral support, visiting an elderly home in Balad and distributing food to laborers and cleaners in east and central Jeddah. In addition, Max Media will be setting up booths from Aug 4 to 7 in which they will distribute free calling cards to expatriate workers to allow them to call their families during Eid and share with them the occasion.
Khaled Al-Mudrasi, executive director of Max Media, emphasized that the campaign aims to raise awareness about the meaning of good deeds and the importance of humility, inviting everyone to participate.
“We open our arms to any individual wishing to participate in this campaign. After all, our religion preaches kindness and humility toward others,” he said, explaining that their campaign targets the elderly, orphans, needy families and the disabled.
“This is everyone’s social responsibility. We request fellow citizens and residents to join us and visit orphanages and homes for the elderly. Extending a helping hand and performing small acts of kindness make a big difference in other people’s lives,” he concluded.