A personal act of gratitude has evolved into a lifelong mission for Andrew Mchisa, who marked his 90th blood donation on Monday, more than 30 years after donating blood to help save his father’s life.
The teacher was among dozens of volunteers who participated in a blood donation exercise organised by Airtel Malawi at the Malawi Blood Transfusion Services offices in Lilongwe as part of activities commemorating World Blood Donor Day.
For Mchisa, however, the occasion represented more than another blood drive. It marked a milestone in a journey that began in 1993 when his father underwent surgery at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and lost a significant amount of blood.
Mchisa recalls travelling from school to the hospital and donating blood after learning of his father’s condition. His father, who had remained unconscious for days following the operation, later recovered. The experience left a lasting impression on the young student and inspired a commitment he has maintained for more than three decades.
Since then, Mchisa has become a regular donor, quietly contributing to a cause that saves countless lives across Malawi.
“Blood is life,” he said. “Without blood, there is no survival. We need more people to come forward and donate so that we can help accident victims, mothers giving birth and patients in hospitals who depend on blood transfusions.”
His story resonated strongly during the event, which brought together Airtel Malawi employees and officials from the Malawi Blood Transfusion Services in a shared effort to strengthen the country’s blood reserves.
Airtel Malawi Managing Director Aashish Dutt said the company considers blood donation an important part of its commitment to supporting communities beyond its telecommunications and financial technology services.
Dutt said while Airtel’s business focuses on connecting people, corporate responsibility also involves contributing to causes that directly impact people’s lives.
“A few minutes of blood donation can mean a lifetime for someone else,” he said. “Blood cannot be manufactured. It can only come from voluntary donors, making it a shared responsibility for all of us to support those in need.”
He added that Airtel Malawi remains committed to initiatives that contribute to national development and community wellbeing, including humanitarian and health-related interventions.
Lilongwe Blood Transfusion Centre Public Relations Officer Upile Kaimvi welcomed Airtel Malawi’s continued partnership in promoting voluntary blood donation, describing such collaborations as critical to sustaining blood supplies in hospitals.
Kaimvi said the institution has worked with Airtel for several years in organising blood drives to mark World Blood Donor Day, helping raise awareness about the importance of donating blood and encouraging more people to become regular donors.
She noted that every unit of blood collected has the potential to save lives and called on more institutions to emulate the example by mobilising staff to participate in blood donation campaigns.
Although the Lilongwe Blood Transfusion Centre is currently managing to meet hospital demand, Kaimvi said maintaining adequate stocks remains an ongoing challenge because much of the country’s blood supply is sourced from secondary schools and colleges, making collections vulnerable to school calendars.
