We Are One Youth in Gwangju and Jeonnam Lead Blood Donation Drive, Donating Certificates and Contribution Vouchers

Over 35,000 participants since 2022 bring life-saving impact across the region

In response to Korea’s ongoing blood supply challenges, the We Are One Youth Volunteer Group Gwangju–Jeonnam Regional Association successfully concluded the 2025 We Are Red Blood Donation Campaign held from July 28 to October 18.
Despite the decline in youth blood donors nationwide, the campaign achieved 2,381 donations, surpassing its initial target of 2,100 participants.

According to the Korean Red Cross Blood Services Statistics Yearbook, the percentage of youth donors in their 20s and 30s has fallen from 43% to 32% over the past five years. Seasonal shortages during vacations and national holidays have frequently pushed Korea’s blood reserves below the safety level of five days’ supply.

Amid these conditions, We Are One’s youth volunteers have continued to bridge the gap — sustaining a warm current of life-sharing even through the long Chuseok holiday and summer vacation period.
Since 2022, the group has recorded a total of over 35,000 donations.

Youth Leading the Culture of Life Sharing

As of October 26, among Korea’s 2.13 million blood donors, 149,671 were from Gwangju and Jeonnam, accounting for about 7% of the national total.
Notably, 1.6% of these donations came from We Are One’s local youth participants — a significant contribution given the region’s aging population and declining youth donor base.

Beyond donation, the youth have also led the way in blood certificate and donation voucher contributions.
Over the past three years, they have donated 32,778 blood donation certificates and raised approximately 220 million KRW (USD 160,000) in blood donation vouchers.
These funds have been directed toward medical aid for vulnerable groups, scholarships, and life-saving community initiatives.

Stories of Dedication and Compassion

Kim So-hee (alias, 30, Gwangju), who has participated in every campaign since 2022, shared,

“Blood donation has become a natural part of my life. I’m grateful to be able to help someone every time I donate.”

Another participant, Park Hee-yeon (alias, 28, Mokpo), said,

“I was nervous at first, but now I just feel proud. I’d recommend blood donation to anyone who can — it’s a small act that truly saves lives.”

Inspiring Youth for a Healthier Future

We Are One Gwangju–Jeonnam representative Song Kyung-soo expressed,

“Youth participation in blood donation is creating a wave of positive change in our community. We’ll continue to promote the value of life through volunteerism and cultural activities, encouraging more young people to join this miracle of life-sharing.”

Since its establishment in July 2022, We Are One has run nationwide donation drives such as “Life ON, Youth ON,” aligning each campaign with periods of critical blood shortages — during holidays, school breaks, and vacation seasons — to stabilize supply and inspire collective action.

 Source: https://vo.la/uORKIpn