Over 71,000 members of the youth volunteer group ‘WE ARE ONE’, head quartered in South Korea, set a new Guinness World Records™ title for the most people to sign up online as blood donors within 24 hours.
‘WE ARE ONE’ that forms part of the international church organisation, Shincheonji Church of Jesus, set a goal of 70,000 blood donations in an attempt to raise awareness of the importance of donating blood. Through their “Life ON Youth ON” donation campaign, the group wanted to help alleviate the blood shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.
While 71,121 volunteers registered to donate within 24 hours on 1 October this year in South Korea, more than 700 of Shincheonji’s congregation members in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe also participated in this campaign. African members of the church wanted to show their unity with this noble cause.
While the majority of countries in Southern Africa have been struggling to maintain sufficient blood stock levels since the pandemic started, most national blood agencies welcomed this initiative taken by ‘WE ARE ONE’ and Shincheonji.
According to a report published by the World Health Organisation in June 2022, shortages of blood have impacted all countries during and since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Through ‘Red Connect’, the official blood donation smartphone application developed for the Korean Red Cross, all the volunteers registered online within 24 hours to donate blood. This is almost seven times the previous world record of 10,217 (8 hours) held by India.
Junsu Hong, the head of ‘WE ARE ONE’ said, “It was possible to achieve our goal not only because of the volunteers, but also the Korean Red Cross officials working at the forefront to solve the blood shortage, and the IT company that developed an efficient blood donation application system.”
In South Korea a total of 43,811 people completed their blood donation since the campaign started. The plan is to reach the goal of more than 71,000 people by November.
In Namibia Zita Tobin, PR & Marketing manager for the Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia (NamBTS) said, “The Shincheonji Church is held in very high regard throughout the whole world. As a community of church members they donate worldwide and it’s very beautiful that it includes Namibia also. We would like to thank the church for their outstanding contributions that they’ve given us as the Blood Transfusion Service, as well as for all the patients’ lives they are saving.”
The official record is accessible on the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ website. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/714849-most-people-to-sign-up-as-blood-donors-online-in-24-hours
