‘Give Life’ by Gulf Bank to Encourage More Blood Donors in Kuwait

Kuwait – March 27, 2012: The initiative, entitled ‘Give Life’, aims to convey to the Kuwaiti community that blood donation is a simple, easy and a very charitable and responsible thing to do.

‘Give Life’, which is launched in collaboration with the Central Blood Bank of Kuwait, will be promoted on television, radio, press and social media, as well as through a road-show visiting Gulf Bank branches and Kuwait shopping malls during 2102. The movement is a central part of the Bank’s 2012 corporate social responsibility activities, which are designed to support the health and wellbeing of Kuwait’s community.

Fawzy Al-Thunayan, General Manager of Board Affairs at Gulf Bank, said: “Blood donation is something any able-bodied individual can do. It is easy, does not cost the donor anything, and the benefits it can bring can literally be life saving. ‘Give Life’ shows people the difference they can make in just 30 minutes. Our employees have all been hugely supportive of this initiative and we are very proud of their efforts in donating blood and encouraging more people to do the same.

As a responsible Kuwaiti financial institution, we believe we should take a leading role in the welfare of our society. Through the ‘Give Life’ movement and our other corporate social responsibility activities, we will continue to explore ways of doing this to benefit the future of our community.”

On 21 March 2012 the ‘Give Life’ blood donation road-show commenced at the first of regular visits to Gulf Bank’s branches which will continue until the end of the year. The visits will provide employees and customers with information about blood donation, as well as the opportunity to donate blood.

In order to involve the wider community, there will also be a Gulf Bank-sponsored blood donation clinic visiting Kuwait’s busiest shopping centers including Avenues Mall, 360 Mall and Marina Mall, where shoppers can simply drop in to donate blood while they are shopping. Educating young people about the importance of blood donation is a further aspect of the movement, and the Bank will be visiting universities in Kuwait during the term time to educate students on blood donation and encourage them to support this important initiative as part of the program.

Regular updates on the progress of ‘Give Life’ can be found on Facebook (www.e-gulfbank.com/facebook), Twitter (www.e-gulfbank.com/twitter), and YouTube (www.e-gulfbank.com/youtube), as well as SMS, including how much blood has been donated and how many lives have been saved. The announcements will be made following each blood donation event. To find out more about the blood donation process you can visit the Bank’s website (www.e-gulfbank.com) where you can find a specific section that includes frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) and upcoming blood donation events.

Gulf Bank is well known for its long term commitment and dedication in encouraging the donation of blood. The need for donated blood has always been an absolute necessity, thus making it crucial that this service remains at the forefront of the public awareness.