ARC is excited to announce its newest partnership with LivingSocial. Read on to learn how LivingSocial members will summit Mount Kilimanjaro this June in an effort to raise funds to support the construction of our health clinic project in Kikomolela Village, Tanzania. Can’t join the trip? You can still partner with us on this project by making a donation via GlobalGiving.

LivingSocial Members To Climb Kilimanjaro For Urgently Needed Health Clinic 
LivingSocial Escapes Middle East put the ‘fun’ into fundraising with a $2,385 incentive to raise money for ARC via GlobalGiving 

UAE, 6th February 2012: Bored of sunbathing and in search of something more from travel? LivingSocial Escapes Middle East is offering members an opportunity to embark on a life-changing journey with adventure travel company Wild Guanabana. From June 8-15 LivingSocial members will be able to summit Mount Kilimanjaro at 5,895m and support the construction of a health clinic in Kikomolela Village, Tanzania.

The trek to the highest freestanding mountain in the world with the region’s first carbon neutral travel company Wild Guanabana, now live on the LivingSocial website, is available to anyone in the Middle East until 1st March 2012. The trip is committed to implementing sustainable tourism practices on both the environmental and social level and to raising money for African Rainforest Conservancy via GlobalGiving.  To encourage and incentivize members to fundraise, LivingSocial Middle East is offering to refund the full $2,385 paid for the trek to the highest charity fundraiser participating in the trip.

“There is such an urgent need to build this clinic in Kikomolela. Currently community members walk up to seven kilometers to reach their nearest clinic.  The fact that LivingSocial members will be taking on the challenge of climbing Africa’s tallest peak is amazing in itself, but even more amazing is they will give back to Tanzania by helping to bring basic health care to a rural village in need,” said Kate McLetchie, Executive Director of African Rainforest Conservancy working with GlobalGiving for this campaign.

Conscious of the dedication and determination required for this unforgettable eight-day adventure in Tanzania, LivingSocial has teamed up with award-winning travel company Wild Guanabana, who enjoys a summit success rate above 94% (the average is 65%). Setting the scene for the climb, CEO of Wild Guanabana, Omar Samra explains, “Kilimanjaro consistently shows up on every adventure-seeking traveler’s bucket list. It’s an every man’s mountain where you can touch the clouds and experience jungle, forests, desert, ice and snow all in one week! The sense of accomplishment and view from the snowy roof of Africa is simply unmatched.”

LivingSocial Middle East has also partnered with Ignite fitness & wellness to provide six weeks of invaluable free Military Bootcamp classes (valued at $408 per person) in Dubai for all UAE members looking to maximise their fitness & climbing potential on the trip. It has also partnered with Adventure HQ to reward the second highest fundraiser with $980 (AED 3,600) to spend at the ultimate outdoor adventure superstore. LivingSocial members participating in the charitable adventure will be required to submit their final fundraising results to LivingSocial Middle East by 8th May 2012. A special fundraising event will be hosted by LivingSocial Middle East later that month where the company will announce the two biggest fundraisers for the LivingSocial Kilimanjaro climb and help raise more funds for the African cause.

“Climbing the world’s tallest free-standing mountain Kilimanjaro is a must for anyone with a sense of adventure,” said Nazar Musa, General Manager, LivingSocial Escapes Middle East. “LivingSocial Escapes is proud to bring this once in a life-time experience with Wild Guanabana to our members and to help make a difference in Tanzania with this worthy cause.”

LivingSocial Escapes Middle East is the latest addition to the local commerce company’s product portfolio and offers incredible deals on travel and hotel experiences in various destinations around the world. A minimum of 8 members must purchase the deal to Kilimanjaro for the trek to take place and a maximum of 25 members will be able to purchase the deal.

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About LivingSocial Middle East
LivingSocial helps people around the world find, share and enjoy great local deals and new experiences. Through its daily deal e-mails and alerts, LivingSocial introduces members to handpicked local businesses, products or services each day at savings of 50 percent or more. With a range of products for different interests, like Families and Adventures, LivingSocial helps delight members with the perfect deal for them. Other services include LivingSocial Escapes, which features easy “vacations in a box” to leading destinations.

LivingSocial works with each merchant partner to create customized marketing solutions that attract and retain loyal, long-term customers. Based in Washington, D.C., LivingSocial now has more than 47 million members in 25 countries.

LivingSocial acquired the Middle East’s original group buying website GoNabit.com in June 2011, and the company officially rebranded to LivingSocial Middle East in October 2011.

For more information visit: www.livingsocial.com

Media Contacts:
Samantha Crawford
Mojo PR
+971 (0)55 298 3593
samantha@mojo-me.com