From the Hospital to the Open Ocean: My Voyage for UNICEF

The Clipper Race 25-26 aims to raise 420,000£ (565,000 USD) for UNICEF so that UNICEF can work towards helping every child grow up healthy and strong, learn, be protected from violence and exploitation, live in a safe and clean environment and, ultimately, has an equal chance at a good life.

Help me achieve this goal. Make a donation to improve childhood in our planet. A "little bit" times a lot, is still a lot.

I grew up watching my parents give things up.

I was raised across Puerto Rico, the U.S., and Spain by parents who believed in purpose more than possessions. My father was a medical doctor who became a pastor, then a missionary. My mother, a Ph.D. in child education, gave her life to helping others learn and grow. We didn’t just talk about service around the dinner table — we lived it.

I watched my parents give up careers and comforts for something bigger than themselves. And that shaped me. But even with that influence, for a long time, I didn’t feel like I was giving back in a meaningful way.

That started to change in 2021. When my son entered high school, I realized I wanted to model something more. So I volunteered to be treasurer of the non-profit that supports his school. Since then, I’ve helped raise and manage over €100,000 for student projects, new initiatives, and campus improvements. It’s pro bono work, done in late nights, weekends and early mornings — but it’s some of the most fulfilling work I do.

Still, I knew I could stretch further.

In 2018, I joined Deutsche Bahn. It’s more than just a railway company — it makes living without a car in Germany possible. Coming from Puerto Rico and the U.S., I never knew that kind of freedom. On those trains, I reclaimed time: I read, learned German, taught myself how to code iOS and web apps. It transformed how I saw infrastructure — not just as a service, but as a quiet equalizer.

But I kept feeling a pull back to healthcare — to unfinished business. I’d once dreamed of improving healthcare systems, driven by my dad’s legacy and my own Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. In Puerto Rico, I’d been treated like a VIP in hospitals because of who my father was. In Germany, I’m just another name on a chart. That shift opened my eyes: our systems are incredible in emergencies — but when it comes to preventing illness, to optimizing health, we’re on our own.

So I now work on software that helps hospitals — not just to treat, but to run better. It’s not glamorous. It’s long hours, constant sacrifice. But it matters. I want Healthcare to be proactive, a personal concierge that helps you optimise and navigate your health journey.

That brings me to the sea.

This October, I’ll join the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race — a grueling, 11-month race over 40,000 nautical miles. I’m sailing nearly 15,000 of them, across the South Atlantic, Southern Ocean, and North Pacific. It’s physically punishing, mentally exhausting, and potentially life-changing.

Why would a software engineer and nonprofit treasurer sign up for that?

Because the ocean has always called to me — and terrified me. I grew up surfing and snorkeling. I love the water. But the open ocean? That’s something else. It’s beautiful, yes — but indifferent. It doesn’t care who you are. And still, I want to be out there.

But I didn’t expect what would stay with me the most: the people. During my final training week, I was seasick for 36 hours straight. I couldn’t hold down food. I stopped even taking off my protective gear to sleep — I didn’t have the strength. I tried to keep showing up for my shifts, but every hour I was getting weaker.

And that’s when the team stepped in. People I barely knew took care of the boat — and took care of me. No grand gestures. Just quiet, consistent kindness. That hit me harder than the waves.

So yes, I’m doing this for the challenge. But more than that, I’m doing it for what it represents — for the chance to raise funds for UNICEF, and to be part of something bigger than myself. When I’m out there, cold and exhausted in the middle of the Southern Ocean, I’ll be thinking about children who face storms they never chose. I’ll be thinking about what it means to be cared for — and what it means to give that care to others.

This race will test me. I’ll be pushed harder than I can imagine. But I know why I’m doing it.

Join me. If you received kindness as a child, pass it forward. If you did not receive kindness as a child, break that cycle for a child today. If you can spread the word, please do share this page.

Will you help me make it count?

My Race


The Clipper race | duration of 11 Months | 40000 nm | 74000 km |

I will be joining the race for almost 15000 nm | 28000 km

The legs I’ll be doing

1. Leg 2: South Atlantic Ocean | Oct-Nov 2025 | 17 days at sea | 3200 nm | 5900 km

2. Leg 3: Southern Ocean Sleigh Ride | Nov-Oct 2025 | 25 days at sea | 4800 nm | 8900 km

3. Leg 6: The Mighty Pacific Ocean | Mar-Apr 2026 | 37 days at sea | 6900 nm | 12800 km

Meet my Team

Pictures of me during the race (coming soon)

Joel on LinkedIn

About UNICEF

UNICEF has been both a Charity and Team Partner for the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race since the 2015-16 edition and during this time has raised £1.6 million for children around the world.

Learn about what UNICEF is doing.

UNICEF has 15,000 people working for children in more than 190 countries, responding to emergencies and building long-term resilience. We save children's lives with vaccines, clean water, and therapeutic food. We protect children from violence, exploitation, and abuse. We empower children through quality education. And we seek to create a safe and sustainable world where children can live, learn and grow.

UNICEF goals - Every child

1. Grows up healthy and strong

2. Learns

3. Is protected from violence and exploitation

4. Lives in a safe and clean environment

5. Has an equal chance

Every pound you raise will make a difference to every child, every day, everywhere.

1. A donation of £165 (196 USD) could buy a wheelchair for a child with limited mobility

2. A donation of £275 (326 USD) could buy a midwifery kit containing all of the medicines, medical supplies and sterilisation equipment for a maternity ward to support the delivery of 50 babies

In the Clipper Race 25-26, we (all teams) are aiming to raise over £420k (500k) USD. Here are some examples to demonstrate the incredible impact these funds can have:

1. Vaccinate over 2 million children against deadly and devastating diseases, with life-long protection

2. Purchase 85 large water tanks to store and disinfect water for 510,000 people

3. Provide a full course of treatment for over 9,900 children with severe acute malnutrition.

Join us!

If you received kindness as a child, pass it forward. If you did not receive kindness as a child, break that cycle for a child today. If you can spread the word, please do share this page.

Will you help us make it count?