AYUDH PORTRAITS: CATERINA BECCARIA

I’m an 18 year old Italian, born in Geneva Switzerland, who grew up in Costa Rica. I’m currently finishing my A-levels and aspire to become a psychologist. I’m a competitive swimmer and a Red Cross volunteer. 

What motivated me to become a Red Cross volunteer was the desire to do something where I could make a difference and impact the lives of others. 

The Red Cross doesn’t just focus on extreme emergency interventions. It also focuses on preventative measures and helping society at an individual scale. For example, helping protect abused women and children, transportation of elderly people to medical visits, teaching children about first aid and being present at fairs and events providing security and service. 

Perhaps the most memorable moment for me was when I participated in my first national meetup of Italian red cross volunteers. Being part of such a huge crowd of people of different ages, ethnicities and professional backgrounds coming together with the same objective was profoundly moving. 

Before joining the red cross I had no idea of the range of activities it was involved in. 

I went in thinking that I would just learn the basics of first aid and discovered a whole new world offering a multitude of different experiences. 

I would highly recommend volunteering to anyone. Not only will you learn new skills-many of which you may not have expected to learn- but there’s nothing more magical and rewarding than belonging to a group of people with the common mission to help others.