NEWSLETTER Nr. 02 – November 2020
Dear Rotary Action Group for Blood Donation members,
We are pleased to bring to your attention what has been done by our Rotary Action Group over the past 4 months.
Following the previous 12 months and the reporting in the July 2020 Newsletter we have indeed continued taking many initiatives in line with the RI Board suggestions and proposals:
- Amsterdam Rotary Institute seminar ‘Rotary without Borders’
Active contribution to the Amsterdam Rotary Institute seminar on Saturday October 11, 2020;
In the breakout session on Disease Prevention and Treatment we presented two informative and illustrative videos: One on the French blood collection activities ‘Mon Sang pour les Autres’ which is organized in close collaboration with the French National Institute ‘Etablissement Française du Sang’ to support the collection of voluntarily donated units of whole blood; the second video provides technical information on blood donation on a voluntary and non-remunerated basis. The session was concluded with a question and answer part. The entire seminar has been recorded and is available for those interested to know more about Rotary and the seven areas of focus.
On behalf of our RAG Jean-Claude Brocart (President) and Cees Smit Sibinga (Vice-President) performed and presented successfully.
We invite you to watch Jean-Claude BROCART and Cees SMIT SIBINGA on the video: https://youtu.be/xsTuHkJNzQM (slide the cursor to 29'40")
- TRF Cadre - Rotary Action Group leadership meeting
Active participation in the RI/TRF organized virtual meeting on future TRF Cadre - Action Group leadership, Thursday November 5, 2020;
The meeting was organized by RI/TRF Evanston and attracted 51 Rotarian participants from all over the world – TRF Cadre technical advisers and representatives of a variety of RAGs.
Zuhal Sharp (RI Service and Networking Programs) presented information on RAGs and how RAGs could improve on their activities and interactions with Rotary Districts, Clubs and individual Rotarians. Focus is on guidance and advice to set up and implement Global Grant and other projects within the scope of the respective RAGs. She summarized the way RAGs can help:
- Advising about how to conduct community assessments.
- Making recommendations about how to involve community stakeholders.
- Giving advice about preparing a project plan and budget.
- Guiding the creation of a monitoring and evaluation plan.
- Offering direction on identifying partners and funding resources.
- Gathering and distributing resources and the best practices on a specific topic.
Christian Pepera (TRF Cadre Senior Supervisor) presented information on the TRF Cadre of technical advisers, the current reform of the Cadre and the strengthening of collaboration between the Cadre and the RAGs. At District level a third party becomes more relevant and important – the District International Service Committee Chair. Each of the Areas of Focus has now a small group of coordinators. It was proposed to create for each RAG a Technical Officer as a liaison between the Cadre (Area of Focus coordinators) and the RAG to ease the channeling of information between TRF and RAGs, as well as with the District International Service Chairs. That might lead to a more effective operation of Rotary and improve on visibility. He summarized the way TRF Cadre Technical Advisers can help:
- Advising Rotary members who are planning or working on Rotary Foundation grant projects, especially on topics like community assessments, sustainability, and financial management.
- Establishing monitoring and evaluation plans that safeguard Foundation funds, reviewing global grant applications, and evaluating projects on behalf of The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees.
Finally he summarized the role of District International Service Chairs:
Connecting clubs with the District Resource
- Network of local subject matter and project experts.
- Identifying resources to support clubs with their service goals, projects, or global grants.
- Publicizing success stories and promoting the best practices.
- Helping clubs find international project partners.
The meeting was attended by B.J. Smith (Secretary) and Cees Th. Smit Sibinga (Vice-President). Cees Smit Sibinga already serves both as a Cadre member (Technical Adviser) and a board member of our RAG. He also serves as the D1590 International Service Chair. He will represent our RAG as the Technical Officer.
- RAG BD Institutional Membership
October 2020 the Board of our RAG was approached by the Rotary Club Bangalore Down Town, India, D3190. PDG Srikanth Chatrapathy. Since their Charter in 1990, they have been holding every year blood donation camps in the city Bangalore, till now over 200 blood donation camps, and almost 10,000 donors have donated blood. Yet, also there is a notable shortage in the regular blood supply of about 50%. Rotary TTK Blood Bank is the professional and licensed partner in service, ready to support in organizing blood donation camps. Rotary TTK Blood Bank is a state of art blood donation and processing center supported by the Rotary Club of Bangalore. The RC Bangalore Down Town (RBDT) has decided unanimously to create a RAG BD branch in Bangalore D3190 to improve on the efforts to hold more blood camps and bridge the current shortage.
The formal request came to support and mentor this initiative, creating an institutional membership within RAG BD.
Response – acceptance and support of the initiative provided the actions follow the set rules of operation and agreement on a formal letter of understanding, which has been signed (PDG Srikanth Chatrapathy) and dated October 31, 2020.
The Terms of Reference are :
- Key responsibility for the blood supply and distribution is the local or regional licensed Blood Bank, Rotary supports (Service
above Self); in our case it is TTK Blood Bank
- Blood is a gift of life, not a commercial commodity (non-profit
principle, no payment);
- Blood and plasma donors are volunteers (own free will, no
coercion, no remuneration of any kind; small tokens of appreciation are allowed);
- Blood and plasma donors shall be met with respect and dignity,
and sincerely thanked for their appearance and donation;
- Blood and plasma donors shall be selected based on WHO and
National selection criteria, using a standard selection form,
provided by the professional and licensed Blood Bank (key
partner);
- Final responsibility for donor selection and blood collection is
with the professional licensed Blood Bank;
7. The role of Rotary (RC and District) is
1) organizing in close and harmonized collaboration and
coordination with the responsible licensed Blood Bank regular
Blood Camps, Drives or Mobile Team Sessions;
2) motivating and mobilizing volunteers to welcome donors;
3) strengthening communication;
4) organizing musical entertainment on site; providing some
food and drinks for blood donors and the accompanying
relatives or friends; reporting the session/camp to the
responsible licensed Blood Bank;
5) keeping a strict and adequate documentation to be shared
with the licenced Blood Bank;
6) observing hygiene, cleanliness, the necessary asepsis, etc.
- Sharing the experiences with the RAG BD through Facebook and
Website postings.
A formal launch of the initiative will take place in the presence of the current DG 3190 Nagendra Prasad in Bangalore.
- More news
- We have been approached by Rtn. Achille Safari of the RC Bunia Ville, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the question to support (Global Grant) a Blood Bank project in the DRC in collaboration with a NGO named ‘Fraternité pour le Développement Integral’.
We are in the process of finding out what exactly the objectives are, and what support can be offered.
- We have also been approached by Rtn. Justin Ho Guo Shun from D3830, Philippines exploring the possibilities of a collaboration and partnership with the Asean Youth Organization which he serves as the Philippines Director.
Also here we are in the process of finding out what exactly the objectives are of the suggested collaboration and partnership, and what support can be offered.
- Continuation of registrations of new members to our RAGBD: 73 to date
- Many emails were exchanged with RI Board members to inform them and ask them for their suggestions
Dear friends, these first 4 months of our Rotary year 2020-2021, despite the difficult corona prevention restrictions, have been very active and we are proud to present this report to you.
We are at your disposal for any further information
Stay safe, healthy, energetic and motivated
Yours in Rotary
Jean-Claude BROCART, President
Cees SMIT SIBINGA, Vice-President
B.J. SMITH, Secretary
RAGBD Facebook group which today includes 3,143 members from 128 countries
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2040560996047929/
Updates are daily and encourage discussion and information on the many Rotary blood collections around the world.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2040560996047929/
Updates are daily and encourage discussion and information on the many Rotary blood collections around the world.
RAGBD website https://ourblooddrive.org/
Updates are several times per week.
Updates are several times per week.
We invite you to visit and contribute to this site which contains a lot of useful information and highlights the various blood collections and activities organized around the world.
Important documents
2020/2024 Strategic Plan: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AseqK_qsboELhL1XUVb3eAyq9ekoOQ?e=ccRVFv
Blood Drive Handbook to help Rotary Clubs considering organizing a blood drive:
