Meet Three Boston Scientific Employees on a Mission To Give Back - Seite 2

When she moved to Yok'Neam, Israel, in 2021, as part of her current role as senior quality manager, she sought out volunteer opportunities immediately. Within weeks, Morton had identified Alef, an organization that helps African refugees and asylum seekers, and got to work initiating activities there, first participating herself, then bringing in her new Boston Scientific colleagues.

Together, they cleaned, painted and renovated Alef's local community center and sponsored fundraising efforts for the organization. "Nothing binds you with your co-workers like building Ikea furniture together," she says with a chuckle.

When Morton learned she'd received one of this year's Global Volunteer Awards, she brushed the honor off at first. "Volunteering is something I do behind the scenes-my recognition comes from helping others," she says. Yet when the congratulatory emails began rolling in from co-workers who'd nominated her, she flashed back to the many soul-filling moments she's had working with Alef-and to her mom, who inspired this work in the first place.

"Investing in my local community is a personal value of mine, even while abroad," says Morton. "It was important to me to make sure the Yok'Neam teams experienced the Boston Scientific core values of caring and global collaboration. Though unexpected, this award means everything for being recognized for something already rewarding."

Protecting the beaches of her youth

Quality engineer Daniela Jinesta Rojas first connected with nature as a little girl, when she'd visit her grandfather in Los Nubes in Coronado, close to the Braulio Carrillo rain forest. As she got older, she grew to love hiking and scuba diving.

Yet spending so much time in the great outdoors came with one major downside: Jinesta noticed garbage in the most beautiful places, which prompted her to become an ardent advocate for the environment.

These days, Jinesta spends more than 200 hours a year helping to conserve corals and clean local beaches and rivers. She also creates opportunities for other Boston Scientific employees at the Heredia, Costa Rica, site to do their part to protect the environment, too.

"When you work with your colleagues to fill three massive trucks with garbage you've picked up on a local beach, it's proof that if each one of us makes a small contribution, we can make a big impact," she says.

A few years ago, Jinesta read about the Japanese word ikigai, which translates to a sense of purpose. She says it helped crystallize why gives back in the ways she does.