The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), in partnership with the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services (UBTS), recently concluded a two-day blood donation campaign in Kampala, Gulu, Mbale and Mbarara districts.
The drive targeted to address the critical shortage of blood in health facilities, largely driven by increased need for emergency care and accident-related medical interventions in the country.
The drive held from recently, yielded 839 units of blood donated by ERA staff, stakeholders in the Electricity Supply Industry, and the public. According to Diana Nambi, the manager Public Relations and Consumer Affairs at ERA, “the partnership with UBTS for the blood donation drive was undertaken in line with the Authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility Policy that focuses on interventions in Health, Education, and the Environment.”
She highlighted that as a communityoriented institution, ERA’s responsibility extends beyond regulating the Electricity Supply Industry to improving the welfare of the communities served by the institution.
“ERA is pleased to have contributed to this Life-Saving initiative that will impact hundreds of Ugandans with a new Lease of Life,” Nambi noted; and expressed gratitude to the blood donors for taking part in this noble cause.
ERA has previously sponsored a number of projects geared towards improving the livelihoods of communities. These include protection of spring wells in various parts of the country; and tree planting to restore the catchment areas of the rivers that host hydropower plants/projects in the Central, Western, West Nile and Northern Regions of Uganda.On an annual basis, the Authority organizes the “Women in Energy” Project through which women serving in the Energy Sector inspire the young female generation to pursue a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Since the project’s inception in the year 2019, over 50,000 young women in 58 schools in different parts of the country have benefitted from the physical interactions and inspirational talks by the Women in the Energy Sector.