The winner of GivingWay’s #givinghappiness giveaway – introducing Isabella!✨

A few weeks ago, GivingWay had our very first giveaway! Our GivingWay #givinghappiness giveaway (say that three times fast! 😆)!

The winner was to receive $500 towards a volunteer trip at a GivingWay nonprofit of their choice, as well as the opportunity to become a GivingWay Correspondent – with their photos, words and video from their trip promoted across all of GivingWay’s social media platforms and website!

The giveaway got many likes and shares – with over 5,000 likes on Instagram over 4,000 on Facebook!

We had a bunch of great submissions but could only choose one winner. It was a tough choice. But when we saw Isabella’s friendly yet matter-of-fact entry where she talked about her desire to volunteer at RAREC and work with animals, it was a YES!

We knew we’d found our winner! 😊 And wanted to sponsor her volunteer trip to RAREC to work with animals.

So who is Isabella? She’s an animal lover – we knew that much! 🐶❤️

We’ll let Isabella tell you herself:

GivingWay: Where are you from and what do you do? Tell us a bit about yourself 🙂  

Isabella: I’ve lived in London since my family moved to England when I was five years old. I love living here because it’s a hub of different nationalities, cultures and cuisines. I was born in a small town in the centre of Mexico called León and have been lucky enough to go back and visit most summers. I’m currently working as a Marketing Executive for an Events company.

How did you hear about the giveaway?

Isabella: I came across the giveaway on an Instagram post – I just knew I had to enter when I saw the picture of a cute sloth! It has always been a dream of mine to meet a sloth in person – they have the sweetest little faces. I love all creatures and am always looking at cute animal videos on social media.

Why did you enter?

Isabella: I entered the competition because I’m an avid traveller and have never volunteered when travelling before! A volunteer trip has always been something I wanted to do so I’m very glad that I’ll finally be crossing it off my list! I’ve heard lots of good things from people who have been volunteering abroad in the past and wanted to try it out for myself.

So you’ve volunteered before! Tell us about your experience 🙂

Isabella: I’ve previously helped to plant trees for a local community and helped to sort and label donated items of clothing for the homeless in London. I’ve never had the opportunity to work with rescued animals before, so I’m very excited! As I’m travelling alone I’m looking forward to meeting new people and gaining a lot from the experience.

What does volunteering mean to you?

Isabella: It’s giving back to a community – we often spend a lot of time focusing on things that don’t really matter, but seeing the bigger picture and exploring other ways of life opens our eyes. By helping other communities and experiencing life through a different lens, we can learn a lot about ourselves and grow.

Why did you choose to volunteer with RAREC?

Isabella: I’ve never been to South America, and Peru is a destination with a lot of charm. Being in the heart of the Amazonian rainforest will be an invigorating and unforgettable experience. I have a rescue dog at home, and the work that RAREC does rescuing animals is admirable, you can see how every animal is cared for. I am looking forward to being part of the force that drives positive change to these animals’ lives. As I’ve recently turned vegan it’s great that RAREC caters to all types of dietary requirements, so that was an added plus! 🙂

Thank you Isabella! We’re very excited for your trip and to follow along on your adventure with RAREC! 🌟

Speaking of RAREC, it’s an absolutely incredible organization on GivingWay! Dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of endangered species in the heart of the Amazon, it’s actually one of the most popular nonprofit organizations on our platform, and it’s easy to see why. 🙂

If you’re at all familiar with GivingWay or RAREC, you might recognize the sweet, smiling face of John Garcia – the founder of RAREC, who is in so many of the organization’s photos because he is always taking care of the animals and always looks so happy doing so! 😁

Located in the Peruvian Amazon, RAREC aims to educate and inform as much as rescue. Their efforts are directly linked to the survival of at-risk specimens from the Amazon and their main focus is the Amazon river manatee, but they’re also involved in the conservation efforts of other regional species.

They focus their efforts on rescue as well as outreach to both ensure survival as well as the preservation of each species they work with. They also engage in education and information campaigns at a local level and count on volunteers’ help to reach more people around the world.

RAREC are very welcoming to volunteers, and the love is mutual, as you can see that all of their reviews are glowing!

They are absolutely passionately committed to saving animals. Just check out this incredible Dramatic Rescue: Baby Orphan Manatee Saved by RAREC: https://www.givingway.com/blog/bui-the-manatee

Volunteers are welcome to help with: Animal Care, Environmental education in the community, Medical campaigns, Sustainable agricultural activities, Fundraising and online help!

Want to learn more and volunteer at RAREC as well? You can apply here: https://www.givingway.com/organization/rarec

And stay tuned for GivingWay’s next Giveaway! 👍