About the Organistion
Khoon is a youth-led NGO that helps in assuring blood from hearty donors to the ailing. With its genesis in Bangalore, it has spread its operations across India and maintains a national database of 1,20,000 blood donors.
During the pandemic, when social distancing norms posed a challenge in sourcing blood, we started a national toll-free helpline (1800 890 6465). It helped save nearly 8,000 lives by mobilising donors during the pandemic.
After the National Blood Transfusion Council released its guidelines for organising blood donation camps during the pandemic, we also organised a total of 11 camps, receiving 918 units and impacting more than 3,600 lives.
Khoon has saved more than 1,00,000 lives since its inception in 2016 and aims to save many more in the time to come.
About the Cause
In India, out of the 52.5 million units of blood transfusions needed, 40.9 million are unmet. Khoon works to bridge this gap between blood donors and patients.
We are working towards achieving this not only by assuring blood, but also by educating blood bank technicians, conducting awareness workshops and plays, delivering talks in education institutions, and more. We have also partnered with Karnataka States AIDS Prevention Society and Facebook for overcoming blood shortage.
Amid the pandemic, Khoon also partnered with Thalassemia Patients Advocacy Group to fulfil the blood requirements of thalassaemic patients, who need a blood transfusion every 15 days.
Khoon thrives on the kindness of people who support it and owes much of its success to volunteers. Each volunteer has a special role to play, and Khoon would like to invite people who are passionate about making a positive social change in the health sector.
Intended Beneficiaries
Patients with chronic conditions (such as thalassemia, haemophilia, blood cancer, etc.), people in critical emergencies and other ailments need blood donors for transfusions. Khoon has collaborated with several blood banks and hospitals (like Fortis, Max, Lady Hardinge, Rashtrotthana etc.) to cater to these requirements, both in time-sensitive cases as well as under regular circumstances.
When Khoon receives a blood request, it accesses its donor database and contacts donors particular to the geographical location of the request. In metro cities, its response time is less than 30 minutes. In other areas, Khoon responds with a confirmed donor within 4 hours of the request.
Khoon’s toll-free helpline (1800 890 6465) is operated with the help of 15 volunteers, wherein blood requests and donor registrations are attended to 24*7.
From the time of receiving a request to the time of arranging a donor, Khoon maintains effective communication and transparency with its beneficiaries.
Intended Volunteers
Students, professionals, or anyone with a drive to save lives is invited to volunteer with Khoon.
- 1. Outreach Volunteers who can identify and be trained to liaise with media houses, stakeholders and beneficiaries (such as donors and patients), and collaborators to increase awareness about blood donation. People with journalism and mass communication background will be preferred. However, we encourage everyone to apply.
- 2. Fundraising Volunteers with the capacity to increase the reach of Khoon’s existing fundraisers, and help in raising funds. People with effective communication skills, from any educational background, can apply.
Minimum duration for each project: 80 hours (10-12 hours/week)