My name is Geraldine Muinjangue I received blood after I was involved in a horrific car accident 06 May 2017. I am personally also a blood donor and before the accident, I had donated blood 19 times. I have always wanted to help save lives through donating blood and the aftermath of my car accident has fuelled this desire even more.

I  was in a car accident, along the Omungwelume road on 06 May 2017 and three other occupants lost their lives. I was rushed to hospital after suffering serious injuries:  I broke my right leg and hip, had my spleen removed and had liver and intestines damage and a crucial 7 weeks stay in Oshakati Private Ward hospital, where I also received a blood transfusion. I consider myself very lucky to be standing here in front of you. I have had to undergo multiple surgeries after the incident and am proud to say that thanks to the donors who helped save my life. Who knows, one of you sitting in this audience could the ones who helped saved my life?

Partly because of my experience as a blood recipient, I wanted to donate as soon as I recovered for the sake of other patients who could possibly be going through scenarios similar to my incident. I attempted to donate but I was told in 2015 that I cannot donate blood for some time being, following two surgeries.

The doctors then told me that I would only be able to donate blood in 2017 and this really made me sad because I have always been eager to help the needy.

In 2018, I went to donate blood again but this did not come to pass, as the doctors then told me thereafter, that I should not donate blood until I recovers fully. After so many attempts, I was finally able to make my 20th blood donation on Thursday, 25th April this year at BDO where I am employed as a receptionist.

I was very emotional as it made me very happy to donate blood, saving 3 lives, the same amount of lives that were claimed in the accident I was involved in.

Everyone is able to become as heroic as I was and during those 8 years when I didn’t donate blood due to medical reasons, I could not understand why my fellow Namibians who are eligible to donate blood always have excuses when the lives of other people are at stake in our hospitals.

Thank you NAMBTS for inviting me to share my story, I would like to urge everyone who can donate blood to do so every time the opportunity arises. I promise to continue doing my part.

Thank you.

Blood donor testimonial by Tuhafeni Kashe

During my years at high school, the NAMBTS did regular drives at our school.  I did not go to the clinic setup as I never really understood blood donation, it was a scary concept to me.

While at University, a friend convinced me to escort them to the blood donation head quarters, on Tal Street.  While waiting for my friend to complete the donation process, I ended up asking a lot of questions, as to become comfortable with the concept of blood donation. After the friendly staff answered all of my questions and calmed my fear, I ended up donating blood for the first time, due to the confidence they gave me.

We should all do our part in society to maintain a great and just society.  Donating blood is just one small thing that we can do that will continue saving lives, it may even end up saving a friend’s or a family member’s life.

The biggest fear that people have, are the needles and I had the exact same fear but once you donate blood, you come to the realization that there are very well trained professionals and nurses at hand.  It doesn’t hurt a bit, it’s so effortless and painless.

Donating blood gives me so much joy that every time I donate blood I get to save 3 peoples lives. That’s what keeps me going back to always donating, one day it may be me that would need a donation. There is a saying, “Be the change that you would like to see in the world,” I live by that saying and if ever I would like my life to be saved, I should do the same.  

I would like to emphasize that blood donation is a crucial part in saving lives, for those who can, let us go out there and donate blood as much as we can . There is a saying that goes “We should leave the world a little better than what we found it”. It’s the little things that goes a long way, your blood donation can save a life or lives and it can change it as well. So let’s take care of each other and be there for the next person.

*Tuhafeni Kashe has donated blood 6 times and has saved 18 lives.

Blood Recipient Testimonial – Soini Muronga, born 20 December 1995 writes:

I was involved in a car accident on the 24 April 2022, resulting in the dislocation of my left hip.  I was in severe pain at my hip and had also felt pain all over my body.  I don’t remember too much with regards to the accident and how it happened.

My understanding of blood donation is that blood is donated to assist those in need, mostly to save lives.  Blood donation to me, means that I can donate my blood, so that it is used by someone else, in need.

I am an extremely happy and grateful blood recipient, had it not been for the blood donor, that was kind enough to donate their blood that day, things would have been different for me, today.  I would like to sincerely thank the person that donated his/her blood to me.  I would be facing more serious health issues, right now, had I not received a blood transfusion.

Once I have completely healed, I would like to become a blood donor.  My perception has changed drastically after my accident, as I had so many misconceptions with regards to donating blood before.

I would like to encourage people worldwide, that we should become part of the global blood donation family.  We would never know, when ourselves, our family members, friends or acquaintances would need a blood transfusion.

Thank you very much to the blood donor and Namibia Blood Transfusion Service for saving my life.

*Soini is a 26 year old blood recipient who was involved in a car accident on the 24^th April 2022.

After we were born in February 1997, the doctors picked up complications in our kidneys and we needed to undergo emergency operations to save our lives. The doctors had given us just three weeks to live and we were meant to go for the operations in South Africa which were taking time to arrange. As part of the medical procedure we had to undergo, the doctors ordered for blood to be transfused to both of us and we spent weeks in hospital thereafter.

Was admitted to hospital on 2 February 2003 Diagnosed with Upper GI Bleeding after years in hospital Has received over 400 units of blood across the past 15 years Admitted in Oshakati State Hospital (ATP), cant be discharged due to her condition. "Thank you to all blood donors, if it weren't for you I honestly wouldn’t be here today"

On the 7th March 2012 I gave birth to my baby girl, her name is Rejoice and she is 5years old now. On that specific day when I came from theatre I found my husband in the room with the little one in his arms and he said to me, “I told you its a girl”. He was teasing me because I wanted a boy, with my shivering hands I hold her in my arms and she was beautiful, a really beautiful princess. I could not hold her for long as my whole body was shivering and I told my husband that it should be because of the cold temperature from theatre. I was getting worried by the consistent shivering and so I told my husband to go call the Doctor. The nurse went to get the Doctor and after the Doctor examined me he told the nurse to immediately take me back to theatre. I went back to theatre and when I came out I heard the nurse tell the other nurse in the room that she lost a lot of blood and she will need blood. The nurse made a phone call and another nurse came with a unit of blood and after a discussion between these two nurses they fixed the blood unit on my arm and did a blood transfusion.

I was in a car accident, along the Omungwelume road on 06 May 2017 and three other occupants lost their lives. I was rushed to hospital after suffering serious injuries: I broke my right leg and hip, had my spleen removed and had liver and intestines damage and a crucial 7 weeks stay in Oshakati Private Ward hospital, where I also received a blood transfusion. I consider myself very lucky to be standing here in front of you. I have had to undergo multiple surgeries after the incident and am proud to say that thanks to the donors who helped save my life. Who knows, one of you sitting in this audience could the ones who helped saved my life?

Thank you for helping save my life! On the 28th of November 2010, I was terribly sick and my body was very weak to the point where she could not even stand. I was rushed to the Oshakati State Hospital where I had to undergo an operation and received 3 units of blood. After the operation, I asked one of the doctors where he got the blood that they gave me and he told me that it was donated by good Samaritans. This really touched my heart because I had never heard about it and I realized that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.