At the beginning of the year when we were doing one of our community educational visits when were we presented with a new housing challenge. In one the most impoverished zones of La Carpio, we found a small one-room shack housing 20 people. 8 of these persons were a family of women and girls living in the squalid conditions.
This was a high risk situation for the family and we took this on as an urgent case. We asked they present us with a possible solutions including building a house on new land or purchasing something already existent. In the meantime we began to muster up interest among possible donors to cover any costs linked to this.
Initially, they found a house in Cartago in an area where we have relocated other families. Funny enough the house belonged to the cousin of someone we had helped relocate and find housing in that area many years ago. However, this plan didn’t work out.
Undeterred, we continued to search a feasible solution and donations. After several months we finally found the place for these women and girls to forge a healthy, happy and free life. We will continue to monitor and support them until they can reach a place of complete independence.
“This family who I call the Carpio 8 was living in squalor and grave danger in La Carpio. Thanks to generous donors they are now in a renovated shack in a safe neighborhood. If only we could do more like this…” – Gail
After a couple of busy summer volunteer program months, we are finally taking some time to share the work we’ve accomplished. A special thanks goes out to the volunteers who joined us during their summer vacation, our donors, collaborators and everyone who continues to support our dream.
Following the 4th of July celebration in Bajamar, we collaborated with a group of special education teachers who provided training and learned about our educational models in the centers in La Carpio.
We also hosted the same organization from Bajamar, bringing a total of 70 adolescents over two days to La Carpio. This experience took us back to the pre-pandemic days when we would host up to 200 volunteers in a single day across the country. Those were good times, and it’s heartening to see things looking up again.
We were particularly excited to host the MSU Medical Student group as part of our Health Education program. This partnership, which we’ve been working on since last year, holds great promise for becoming a long-term collaboration.
Through the health campaign program, we provided medical consultations, referrals, and treatments to over 300 patients over four days. Extensive testing and diagnosis were carried out, with most patients treated on-site. We continue to follow up with those who have more severe ailments.
A special thanks to the local medical and pharmaceutical team who supervised the program; Dr. Hellen; Susy; the La Bomba Pharmacy for the very reasonable pricing; to Sabrina, who managed the complex logistics and planning for the MSU team; and to individual volunteer interpreters Stena, Steven, Kelcy and Family, and Irene and her daughter.
Steven, our permanent individual volunteer continued to present healthy lifestyle workshops. The latest was about the importance of regular medical testing for women, regardless of their age.
Stena also taught math related skills to all our teachers, providing them with the skills and materials needed to continue.
We also had the pleasure of hosting the French/British volunteer family—Kelcy, JD, Elliot, and Chloe—for a week at our new volunteer homestay. They engaged in youth development, served as interpreters, and immersed themselves in the culture of La Carpio. They also joined the sports league over the weekend for a match. What a fantastic way to spend a summer vacation with family! They are now off to explore the jungles and beaches of Costa Rica.
As a side note – recently, one of the football teams of the Recate Sports League won 17-2 against the Saprissa Team – one of the top teams in Costa Rica.
Last week, to close out the volunteer summer program, a group from Troy University visited us. They worked on youth development, built a bunk bed, and learned about our PREMDEV initiatives and La Carpio.
We are also thrilled to announce that we successfully delivered all the materials for the new clinic in Alto Chirripo to the worksite. This was made possible through the hard work and precise logistical planning of Regional CCSS Director Vinicio and a team of local indigenous workers. The walls, roof, piping, and foundation are now complete. Thanks to the Swiss Embassy for partially to sponsoring this effort.
Our faithful supporter, Howard, also visited us providing the collaborators much deserved days off, R&R and leisurely activities.
All of this progress has been made while our regular programs continue to thrive in La Carpio, Uvita, Cabecar, and BriBri.
And all of this as we make the transition into our amazing new headquarters in Ciudad Colon…”Casa Quetzal” will be our orientation, eco-camp, women’s retreat center and peaceful place for volunteers and collaborators. Keep following our posts and reading our blog posts for more details on this very soon.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way. We’re excited to keep moving forward together!
Today, like every day, I see what are called my cases. I have an office, and people lined up to see me.
Jony:
A Nicaraguan refugee from 2018. Both his brothers were murdered. He lives in a house with his wife, 17-year-old son, and autistic son, whom he loves with all his heart. He has a chronic ailment. We provide him with monthly rent relief and a weekly food basket. His autistic son has been having constant, uncontrollable seizures. I provide Jony a safe place to cry.
Maria:
A Nicaraguan refugee with cancer. She has one child and has been diagnosed with cancer. Her chemotherapy and radiotherapy were suspended because she can’t pay for insurance since she can’t work. She lives with her mother in a house where the owner is an angel on earth. This kind landlady helps Maria get to our place and carries her food basket for her. I provide both her and her neighbor with food and talk with her gently. On Monday, she shows up beautifully dressed, smiling, her wispy hair combed, and thankful to us for our help.
Hugo:
An ex-Contra fighter with an extensive family. He always shows up with something to give so we can provide him with free food. I always banter good-naturedly with him because I am Gringa, he is Nica, and I was Sandinista.
Carla:
A young mother of three, including a very fragile newborn. We give her clothes, diapers, food, and love for her kids. She can’t work. I provide her with some rent relief. I see she is scared, and I see her.
Maria and her 13-year-old son:
He is trying desperately to stay in school and graduate sixth grade. He comes every day to help carry up the food. They just got evicted. I gave her rent relief, and our team decided to make him a formal member and provide him with weekly financial help and a food basket.
And So The Days o By
If I did not have the support of the donors, none of these fragile and gentle people could get their needs met. A listening heart is good, but a listening heart with some financial power is better.
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!
The year was 1997, the CRHF had just been legally founded in Santa Ana. Our volunteer work was centered in this area of Costa Rica. Down the street from the Foundation/Educational Resource Center was a squatter community of around eighty families. (more on the ERC in future posts)
The Beginnings
We mainly focused our volunteer work in La Promesa with single women heads of household, some of who were Nicaraguan refugees. The houses were all made of tin and some wood with dirt floors.
This is when our bunkbed program started with the Boy Scouts of CR. We also had our first theatre presentation called “Your Home Is Where Your Heart Is”
Reallocation
After more than 4 years of squatting the land, the government institutions were able to come to a peaceful resolution and reallocate the community to a low-income housing development. The CRHF served as a mediator and was able to help with the transition.
The houses the government agencies built are a simple but durable design made of prefabricated concrete. The CRHF, with the help of numerous volunteers helped paint and beautify the community, including gardening and cleaning-ups.
Right Action
In 2003 we began the construction of a two-story community center (seen in the picture) which culminated in 2005. This in part thanks to the efforts of national and international donors and volunteers. This center served as one of our first Family Well-Being Centers (FWBC). This is a model we have replicated throughout some of the most impoverished and marginalized communities in Costa Rica.
The community as a whole then reached what our Poverty Reduction Model of Development (PREMDEV) would call a level of Right Action. This means we were no longer needed as they were able to become self-sufficient in a sustainable way. By that time we had already began working in La Carpio and with children living on the street.
Transparency
You can read more in the 2005 year end report, the FWBC’s and the PREMDEV on the CRHF.org website. By clicking on the magnifying glass, you can search for this information using keywords such as “Family well being” or “La Promesa”.
As part of our transparency pillar, we try to make all our projects and financial reports as available as possible. Financial reports are available upon request. Please consider volunteering with the CRHF and for your donations to nonprofits in Costa Rica. Click here to donate or below for paypal. Thank You For Sharing Our Dream!
And yet another of our collaborators is heading off. This time it is Alcides going home to Nicaragua to see his ill mother and his graduating son. I see him so strong and healthy and well dressed and confident. So much thanks to our gracious benefactor Howard, who believed in him. Well done to all of us.
It’s just like sending your children out into the world…it is sad, exciting, scary and very pride filled . Elvis, Bismark, Henry, Yader, each has his story and each has grown so healthy under our caring watch.
#EdWed. This week we are highlighting Costa Rican Labor Day via the teaching in our Family Well-Being Centers. We are very grateful for the group of collaborators, volunteers and teachers who have joined us over the years to serve the populations we work with. Feliz Dia del Trabajador!
Montessori education is renowned for its unique approach to nurturing children’s holistic development. At the heart of this approach are the four primary goals that Montessori teachers strive to achieve:
Fostering Independence
Montessori teachers aim to cultivate independence in their students by providing an environment that encourages self-directed learning and exploration. Through carefully designed materials and activities, children are empowered to make choices, solve problems, and take ownership of their learning journey.
Promoting Self-Discipline
Central to Montessori philosophy is the belief that self-discipline emerges naturally when children are engaged in purposeful activities that align with their interests and developmental needs. Montessori teachers guide students in developing inner discipline by setting clear boundaries, modeling respectful behavior, and encouraging self-regulation.
Cultivating a Love for Learning
Montessori classrooms are vibrant spaces where curiosity is celebrated, and a passion for learning is ignited. Teachers inspire a lifelong love of learning by fostering an environment of joy, wonder, and discovery. They encourage exploration, experimentation, and inquiry, nurturing children’s innate desire to understand the world around them.
Nurturing Social Responsibility
Montessori education places a strong emphasis on the development of social skills and empathy. Teachers guide students in building meaningful connections with their peers and the larger community, fostering values of kindness, cooperation, and respect for diversity. Through collaborative projects, group activities, and opportunities for reflection, Montessori teachers help children develop a sense of social responsibility and global citizenship.
By prioritizing these four goals, Montessori teachers create enriching learning experiences that not only prepare children academically but also equip them with the essential skills and qualities needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.
The volunteers’ farewell… All I can think of when I enter our Centro Modelo classroom is the classic children’s song ” Los pollitos dicen pio pio pio cuando tienen hambre cuando tienen frio.” The little chickies say peep peep peep when they are hungry when they are cold.
With their little yellow shirts they do look just like a flock of baby chick’s. They are in constant motion, interacting with each other, curious about everything and absorbing everything in their environment.
We have some good parenting going on too. All the kids are neatly dressed. Freshly bathed and combed. And each one has their own little set of plate, cup and fork and spoon.
Here, they are celebrating the farewell party for our two volunteers, Ali and Quincy. I was so happy to see the delicious and enticing fruit feast prepared by the parents. Each child got to choose the fruits they wanted and amazingly not one plate was empty after snack time.
I felt these kid’s hunger to learn and to creatively seek activities. Their tenderness was so moving. Teacher Marisol is giving these children a wonderful transition from home to the beginnings of school life. We will really miss the kind assistance of the two volunteers. And I’m pretty sure they will miss CRHF too.
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.
Some of you might remember Yader who came to us in 2018. Fleeing out the back door as the army burst into the front door looking for him. He has been a loyal, kind and conscientious workplace companion.
Last month, after a three month vetting process he legally entered into the US and wound up in Dallas. He was picked up in Dallas airport and dropped off at a studio apartment with an air mattress and some food.
And there he sat . No one came to see him. He ran out of food…he called us…our donor Howard got him some food via Uber(go figure). We began to investigate and suspected a scam. Things got really weird when he got an eviction notice.
So I sent out the word via Facebook and along came Claudia who was part of our peace group in October. She happens to live in Houston and was heading to Dallas the very next day to watch the eclipse.
She happens to speak fluent spanish because she happens to be of Mexican descent. She located Yader and got him all straightened out and then they watched the eclipse together.
He now has had his rent paid, gotten his healthcare card, permission to work and some cash . It seems that his caseworker had slipped up. Anyhow…it helps to have friend in High Places. As we say here ‘Gracias a Dios.’ His America dream is being realized.
