It is difficult to request someone to come forward to donate. People have their own apprehensions. Most are concerned about their own free time when they can leisurely donate.
I was going to view something very unusual. Govt College for women is the only women college in Kolar. Students come from 20 to 30 kms every day for education. The college graduation course on Humanities, Science and management for 3000 odd students.
Camp on a women college in Kolar is a matter of concern as the students are mostly from the villages. The nutrition level is low and concerns about HB (Haemoglobin) levels is always there. One more issue is that people in villages are not very keen on blood donation as their urban counterparts.
The blood bank was estimating a maximum of 25 to 35 units in the entire drive.
The camp started and students started to come in. The location for the drive was not so good. There were no fans in the hall but fortunately the blood bank had brought one or two table fans. The time the blood camp started the lights went out.
Day time in Kolar is not so cool. THE NCC cadets from the college came in their uniform and stood guard to ensure that the blood donation area was not crowded and filled with unwanted visitors.
The camp started and students started to pour in. After sometime, the 8 beds that the blood bank had brought got filled up with prospective blood donors. By this time the students from the college began to peek from the window on how blood donation was taking place, each one making their own faces from the outside when they saw the needle being inserted.
The donors were mostly 1st time donors, all enthusiastic and nervous. These girls mostly come from rural background. Some travel 20 to 30 kms everyday for education. I was getting different feeling on what women empowerment really is.
It is important that donors should have some substantial food to eat in last 2-3 hours before donating blood. These girls had their breakfast around 7:30 - 8:00 and here they were coming for donation around 12:00. It was difficult convincing these donors to have something before coming for donation. Fortunately we had a NCC cadet who translated what we were trying to convey to the donors who found it difficult to understand English.
The line made for donation had around 10 girls queuing for pre donation check with around 50 behind the door blocked by a NCC cadet who had spread her hands in the door to hold the 50 odd ladies pushing each other for donation.
There was no fan in the room and the table fan brought by the blood bank didn't work as there was no electricity!! It was getting hot inside. We could see some donors beginning to faint.
There is a phenomenon called Chain Reaction. In camps, every thing would be going fine and then suddenly one faints. Seeing the person who fainted, a chain reaction starts happening where other donors start fainting. It happens mostly when one is a first time donor and specially occurs if the donor is a lady.
I was getting nervous. Two ladies had just fainted and around 20 -25 queer girls watching I was just hoping. But then I saw a lady donor coming for donation after pre donation check. She unassumingly got into the donation bed with a lady donor beside her who had just fainted. I saw no reaction. She was cool and happy about being able to donate and nothing in the world was bothering her. I stood amazed until I saw another donor with the same attitude.
4 college staff came forward to donate. For the girls who had come for donation the college had arranged for lunch. This was for donors who get their donation done. Upon my request all donors were asked to donate only after having lunch.
The donations went fine. When the last donation was about to complete the table fan brought by the blood bank started to move. In 6 hours since camp started, 200+ had come for donation of which 60 donations was taken. Most were rejected on basis of low Haemoglobin level and weight.