In January 2023, I was invited by the Belgian Red Cross to serve as an Expert Panel Member for a unique project - the development of guidelines on the recruitment of voluntary blood donors in Africa. You see, blood donation rates in sub-Saharan Africa pale in significance when compared to countries in the West, with some countries recording blood donation rates as low as 2 per 1,000 population compared to 31.5 per 1000 population in high-income countries. One may ask why the Belgian Red Cross initiated this project. To that, my answer would be that in the current development climate, aid should no longer be about hand-downs but about building local capacity to drive and sustain initiatives on our continent. The Expert Panel was populated mostly by Africans, from Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ghana, Bénin, and, of course, Nigeria. I recall our intense conceptualisation sessions, which were held in Kigali last year. I am therefore delighted to share on this #WorldBloodDonorDay2025 that the Blood Donor Recruitment Guidelines have now been finalized and published. This important document is the result of a collaborative and evidence-based effort—our collective expertise and contributions played a key role in shaping its relevance, quality, and practical value. Available in both English and French, the guidelines are freely accessible and are designed to support Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in Africa and their blood services in strengthening voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation. 👉 You can access and download the final version of the guidelines via the following link: en.rodekruis.be/wat-doen-we/… Give blood, give hope: together we save lives. Happy World Blood Donor Day! #WorldBloodDonorDay2025 #SafeBloodSavesLives