Posted by Haagen P. Cumlet

"Our role may be small and limited, but there are times when even a small bit can go a long way towards saving a life", Egyptian Rotaractor Sammar Mohamed Saad of Rotaract Club Alexandria Ramleh, District 2450, says. She is the chairperson of the club's international committee and deeply involved in the club's blood donor drives.

The Alexandria Ramleh Rotaract Club has  held several campaigns all over the capital of Cairo and the seaport of Alexandria, an important tourist resort along the Mediterranean coastline.

The  club has joined Global Network for Blood Donation, a Rotarian Action Group and the World Rotaract Week blood donor project Magna est vis humanitatis (Magnificent is the power of humanity). The Rotaract world project was started a few years ago by Slovenian Rotaractor Nina Kolenc, the project's leader and now also serving as the Rotaract liaison to the GNBD board of directors.

Some of the Alexandrian Rotaractors' blood drives have taken place at the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, 57357 Hospital for Cancer Treatment for Children, and at the Highway Road between Cairo and Alexandria.

 "It was difficult at the beginning, but luckily we managed and it ended up being a rather successful achievement," Sammar Mohamed Saad, concludes.

When running their blood drives, Sammar and her fellow Rotaractors inform new donors, that "a simple act of blood donation could save the life of another person ... and that ... blood donation nowadays should not be viewed only as an act of charity, but as a necessity that benefits both the donor and the recipient."

The Rotaract club of Alexandria Ramleh has also other activities. In February 2008, the club "proudly and happily" celebrated winning one of the first five positions in Community Service in District 2450 from the mid-year evaluation. Alexandria's TV Channel 5 had an interview with members of the club in which they discussed their projects within the field of Charity, Community Service, Club Service and the club's very successful Anti-Smoking campaign.

The Community Service Committee's evalutations of community projects within the district are held twice a year, in the middle of the year and at the end of the year. - We won the mid of the year ... for the No Smoking Campaign, Sammar explains.

In posting on the club's website dated June 14, 2008,  an evalutation of their blood donor campaign so far answers the question "What did your club members benefit from this project?" with the response: "They know how to help others that are in need of a drop of blood."

Rotary District 2450 includes nine countries, Armenia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Footnote : For pictures, go to the journal PHOTOS.

Footnote: Sammar Mohamed Saad can be contacted at sammarmbayomy@gmail.com

and Nina Kolenc at ninakolenc@yahoo.com

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