Category Archives: Indigenous

Health, Indigenous

Improving Health Services in Cabecar Indigenous Territory Alto Chirripo

We are excited to announce our expansion into a new area of the Cabecar Indigenous territory where we will be focusing on health services initially. In the past, our efforts were concentrated in what is known as the ‘Bajo Chirripo’ area This is closer to Limon and the Caribbean coast.

This new initiative focuses on ‘Alto Chirripo,’ located further upstream along the Chirripo River. This area is primarily accessible through the mountains of Turrialba and Grano de Oro.

In collaboration with the CCSS, the Swiss Embassy, the local Indigenous Development Association (ADI Cabecar Alto Chirripo), and the Ministerio de Trabajo, we are working to enhance the health services in this region.

Many health centers operated by the CCSS have deteriorated due to termites and weathering or are close to becoming inoperable. A total of 14 structures require renovation or rebuilding.

Regional CCSS Director, Don Vinicio, has been instrumental in contacting various organizations and advocating for funding from the CCSS Directors. His efforts have resulted in the successful rebuilding of three centers so far.

The CRHF has secured funding and provided designs that have been historically used in other indigenous areas to rebuild the Puesto de Salud Periódica in Ñari. These designs have proven to be durable, with some of our original structures serving communities for over 25 years.

Ñari is an indigenous community on the edge of the upper Rio Chirripo in the Cabecar indigenous territory. The terrain is very challenging due to extreme elevation changes and the unpredictable Rio Chirripo during the rainy season. The health services are lacking and sparce on this indigenous territory. Nevertheless, Ñari will be the fourth of the 14 buildings slated for renovation.

Currently, the local indigenous community has begun clearing the land and preparing temporary storage for clinic resources and materials. Some materials will be brought in by helicopter on Friday. Stay tuned for more updates!

Indigenous

Juegos Indígenas – Indigenous Games 2024 Costa Rica

In keeping with our longstanding commitment to indigenous populations, we are sponsoring the initiative of Gamaniel Molina Diaz to co-host the Indigenous Games.

This two day festival and competition invites over 200 indigenous of all ages to try their hand at traditional activities in brotherly competition. There will be bows and arrows, chopping wood, blow guns, rope pulling and others. In addition, the women’s association Kabata Konana will prepare meals all the competitors for the two days.

Visitors from around the world have been invited to participate . Traditional food will be available as will many handmade crafts. The opening and closing ceremonies will be presented by the elders of the community complete with storytelling and ancient chants.

Thanks to the generous donation of the Little Theater Group, CRHF is overseeing the food and housing arrangements for the 200 athletes. The local indigenous women’s group will handle all the preparation of three roasted pigs, local fruits and vegetables, hearty breakfast and comfortable sleeping arrangements.

We thank Supermarket Avenida 10 and their manager Laura Castillo, Florida Ice and Farm for donating water, Barguil mattress company, and Esteban Aguilar for supplying eggs.

Barry and his wife of Pura Vida Hotel have coordinated the visitor invitations, the Ark Botanical Farm and Restaurant provided the video and ARCR, through Martha Rollins is supporting with cash donations.

This will be an epic event and we hope it will be the precursor to the expanded Indigenous International Olympics 2025.

Click Here for the Video

📞Contactos: Gama 8877-0228 o Berni (solo habla inglés) 8701-3411 or CRHF WhatsApp or Cel +(506) 8837-5205

https://www.puravidahotel.com/activities-and-tours/indigenous-games.html

Please consider donating to the CRHF to continue its support of indigenous communities.

Indigenous

My Book is My Friend

There wasnt a shelf…

As with all our projects we try to anticipate needs. But..we also live in a place where what we think might happen doesnt. Like the time we were building a classroom and had to move a HUGE rock away. And we just did it. No fuss. A lot of sweat.

So..I went to Suretka where our building for the first indigenous library is complete. My goal was to set up the space for the materials we were donating. When I arrived I found quite a bit of construction debris so the school cleaning lady and two of the male staff swept and mopped and cleared out stuff. Then we brought in our boxes of materials.

You think this was easy!? It was sweat induced hot. The sweat was dripping off my nose. There was a great white table donated by Michael and Michaela..with the legs unscrewed for storage convenience. There was no phillips head screwdriver to be found. And no shelf on which to put the materials.

No problem you say? Just head over to the local ferreteria for 18 cement blocks and four wooden planks and a screwdriver. They offered me a huge fancy screwdriver for $10…I said…” I just need a little one”. and voila..they came up with a perfect teeny screwdriver for $1,50. Unfortunately they didn’t have one cement block or one wooden board. So, off I went on a hunt for these materials.

Thus..Giselle got to meet the neighbors. I found a place where a guy was cutting wood and he gave me four boards. and miraculously the school came up with 8 cement blocks and I had my shelves.

We brought life and color and learning to these kids.