One of the the ways you are expected to add value to your business is by building a great reputation. You can do this just by the effort of your work – so that the quality of your products or services are unmatched.
Many more entrepreneurs opt to go through the simpler, but quite costly, route of advertising. Adverts are one of the ways to market what you’re doing. All this is good but it’s not enough.
You can go further and enhance the reputation of your business by focusing on social impact, at times. We tend to leave this to corporates through their CSR (corporate social responsibility) campaigns and to social entrepreneurs. A small business works close to it’s customers and prospective customers, what you do is quickly noticed. This is why leaving your imprint by the way of social impact is a great idea.
Perhaps you’ve thought about this before and concluded that it’s too expensive considering all the other needs your business throws at you. Have you thought though, that you don’t need to do grand gestures? A simple effort from you alone, or with your team, could go a long way – even save someone’s life.
Consider the example of Pledge25. It’s the brain child of a young Kenyan by the name, Ian Floyd Kimani. He rallies you and I and everyone else to at least donate blood 25 times by the age of 30. This is such a simple yet far-reaching idea and I suggest you pick it as your first social impact project.
Why? Ian once had to save a classmate from succumbing to Leukemia by donating his own blood. He was a high school student. Where we are at, many other Kenyans don’t get this second chance at life because we literally have a shortage of blood donors. 6 children even died, at one go, in 2016 because they needed blood and there was none of it.
You see, the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service (KNBTS) only has 25% of the units of blood required to help all the patient needing donation everyday. We complain of politicians stealing and what not but when KNBTS urged Kenyans to show up in hospitals (just walk in) to donate blood few of us made the effort. Do we really care about the well being of our country? Makes you think!
Many months ago we learnt that agripreneurs can solve some of their business challenges on their own. I think we can sort this blood shortage situation ourselves too.
In Kenya, high school students are the biggest donors of the blood. This is funny and sad. We are the ones who should be setting an example. It only takes 15 minutes to donate blood and no, no, no it’s not painful. Heartbreaks are painful, sharing your food is painful.
As a small business owner, this is a good opportunity for you to step in and be counted – yes, bits of it for the reputation the social impact will generate for your business. Also, appeal to your humanity and help other people. As an entrepreneur and a planner I’m sure you think we could fill our blood banks and avoid forcing patients to request for donors on social media.
You don’t have to wait to do this. Already in early May, Barclays Bank is teaming up with KNBTS to allow those with the heart to donate blood to do so in its some 30 branches. All you’ll need to do is walk in and donate blood in 15 minutes.
This Barclays Blood Drive Initiative is running from 2nd May to 11th May, 2018. This gives you a chance to expose yourself through the #15ToSaveALife and show the world that you and your business cares for more than the profit margin.
Where can I donate blood?
If you’ll be in Nairobi for the new month head to:
- Barclays Westend Building, Westlands (2nd May)
- Bishops Gate branch (2nd May)
- Thika Road Mall branch (3rd May)
- Ongata Rongai branch (5th May)
- Sarit branch (5th May)
- Westgate branch (7th May)
- Buru Buru branch (8th May)
Outside Nairobi, the Barclays Blood Drive Initiative will be alive in all towns with a Barclays Bank branch. KNBTS will be present as well. Whether you’re at the coast, Kisumu, Machakos, Nyeri, you’ll still be able to do good. Follow #15ToSaveALife and catch the dates for these areas.
Don’t let us down, save a life!