Aceh – Indonesia, Nervousness isn’t always something to avoid. Sometimes, facing that anxiety is necessary to do something truly meaningful.
That was precisely the experience of Faris Dzukhairil Muna, a first-semester English Language Education student at the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh. At just 19 years old, Faris successfully donated blood for the very first time, contributing 350 ml of blood for those in need.
Faris was among the participants in the Phase IV 2026 Blood Donation Drive organized by the Aceh Energy and Mineral Resources Office in collaboration with the Banda Aceh Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) on Thursday (10/8/2026). The event, which successfully collected 32 blood bags, was part of an effort to enhance social awareness and mutual solidarity involving civil servants, non-civil service staff, and the surrounding community.
Faris shared that this donation held a special personal story. He had previously attempted to register as a donor. However, he was unable to donate at the time because tests showed his hemoglobin (Hb) levels were too high, failing to meet the requirements for blood donation.
Despite feeling nervous earlier due to it being his first experience, the donation process ultimately went smoothly, successfully securing 350 ml of blood.
“I was nervous at first because it was my first time, and I’m also a bit afraid of needles. But once I went through with it, it wasn’t as bad as I imagined. In fact, I feel happy that I could finally donate, and hopefully, the blood I gave will be useful to someone else,” Faris said.
For Faris, the experience taught a simple lesson: helping others doesn’t always require grand gestures. Sometimes, sharing a small part of what we have is more than enough.
Faris hopes blood donation drives will become more accessible to the younger generation, particularly Gen Z. He believes young people don’t need to wait until they have a lot of money, a high position, or specific abilities to start helping others.
“If we meet the requirements to donate, I think there’s no harm in trying. It might just be 350 ml to us, but to someone in desperate need, it could mean everything,” he explained.
This message carries significant weight in an era where the younger generation is deeply connected to the digital world. Social care shouldn’t stop at social media posts or calls to action; occasionally, that empathy needs to be translated into concrete action.
Today, Faris may have only given 350 ml of blood. Yet, from that 350 ml comes a much larger message: the courage to give can start at a young age, even when we are still afraid.(rao)