2022 Winners & Shortlists

Summary of the work

On the Day of Ashura, in the Islamic calendar, a day of public mourning in Lebanon, hundreds of thousands of Muslims commemorate the death of Imam Hussein by inflicting self-harm as a form of sacrifice. While these men willingly spilled their blood on the streets, Lebanon remained in desperate need of anyone who would willingly give blood to those in need. With no central blood bank, patients in Lebanon have been forced to turn to social media networks in desperation. So, for Donner Sang Compter (DSC), an NGO whose purpose is focused on improving the ease of access and quality of blood donations, we integrated into the outdated and irrelevant sect-driven ritual of bloodletting in culture, and made it relevant to modern day. And we created "Blood Unity", an initiative that encouraged those who spill blood to donate it instead. Our transformation of a thousand-year-old ritual linked to religion and culture, gained political commitment and support, as we collaborated with health and religious authorities. We also collaborated with logistics partners and hospitals, creating increased opportunities for blood donation sessions at mobile sites and static sites. Driving voluntary blood donation vs bloodletting among Shia Muslims and collaborating with authorities, “Blood Unity” helped save thousands of lives, redirecting outdated traditions.