SAVANNAH, Ga. – World Trade Center Savannah (WTCSav) is pleased to announce that Nipuna Ambanpola and Akash Shah, the team representing IVolunteer International has been chosen as WTCSav’s nomination for the Peace Through Trade Competition, a global student contest hosted by the World Trade Centers Association Foundation (WTCAF).
The local competition, sponsored by National Office Systems, asked teams to present an original project, product or other innovative idea that “exemplifies and promotes social innovation and sustainability through collaboration, fair trade and ethical business practices.” The project also needed to address one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
IVolunteer International is developing a mobile app which will reshape how volunteers are connected to volunteer opportunities in their local communities and around the world. IVolunteer International is a non-profit organization with the vision of creating seven billion volunteers. IVolunteer International (www.ivint.org) connects individuals to volunteer projects globally.
Nipuna Ambanpola, a former WTCSav intern, Georgia Southern University graduate, current student at the University of Georgia and IVolunteer International’s Co-Founder & Executive Director said, “Our goal is to redefine the way people of the world respond to volunteering. We are excited and honored to have the opportunity to represent Savannah with our passion project.”
In Summer of 2020, IVolunteer International will launch the revolutionary mobile app to reshape how volunteers connect to projects within their communities and across the globe – making it the first globally connected volunteer app.
The goal is to make volunteering easy, accessible, fun and cost-effective. The mobile app, when launched, will identify the user’s location and connect them to volunteer opportunities around them. The users will be able to track their individual social impact, share common-interest opportunities with their friends and family and even celebrate volunteerism. Since its founding in 2017, IVolunteer has connected over 6,000 volunteers for more than 180 projects.
WTCSav Board of Directors Immediate Past Chairman and President of National Office Systems Scott Center said, “All of the finalists presented innovative ideas that provided real solutions to some of today’s challenges. We are honored to send the team at IVolunteer International to the next level in the competition and are hopeful that they will be selected and have the opportunity to share their ideas on the global stage.”
The team representing IVolunteer will move to the next round which includes an interview with the international board of directors alongside projects submitted from all over the world. The global winner will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the upcoming World Trade Centers Association General Assembly in Tapei, Taiwan, in September 2020 to present their project and receive their award on the global stage.