Economic Growth Costa Rica Project #10748

Costa Rica rural community support fund

by Corcovado Foundation

Project Report | Mar 8, 2013
A small donation makes a big impact!

By Dr Rob James | Program Coordinator

FACOSA (Osa Community Support Fund) - Corcovado Foundation

In our day-to-day lives in developed countries we seem to spend huge amounts of money on everyday consumables, not to mention all of those bills we pay each month for electricity, gas, phones, internet, and car insurance. It can sometimes seem like our money doesn’t go very far in the developed world, but the situation is quite different in the villages of rural Latin America. A seemingly small donation can completely transform a community and, when responsibly invested in the right projects, can help to empower poor local people to take control of their economic future.

In 2012 the Corcovado Foundation established a microfinance scheme called FACOSA (Osa Community Support Fund) using funding provided by the Inter American Foundation (IAF). This initiative is designed to identify the projects that promise to make the biggest impact to communities, and award grants designed to catalyze sustainable development within the Osa Peninsula. These project proposals could be to build new infrastructure, to improve sanitation or protect the environment, or they could be designed to nurture small profit-making initiatives and create local jobs through responsible ecotourism. These awards offer an alternative source of income for local people, and help to dissuade them from extracting their natural resources to earn a living.

In 2012, FACOSA awarded $15,000 USD for the construction of an aqueduct in La Tarde, the completion of the Community Center building in El Progreso, a community project in Rancho Quemado, the purchase of computers for a school, and a website and computer for the local Turtle Conservation Association (ACOTPRO). These projects have not only transformed the lives of hundreds of villagers, but they have also helped to educate local people in how to design projects, write grant proposals, manage accounts, and deliver their goals on time. These invaluable skills will enable local people to compete for funding from other sources in the future, not just FACOSA, and will help to foment responsible community enterprises that benefit the entire region.

There are currently many more excellent projects in desperate need of funding, but the not-for-profit Corcovado Foundation needs to raise a further $12,000 USD in order to continue with the scheme. The good news is that the Inter American Foundation has up to $18,000 USD additional to donate to this fund and will match any donation made to FACOSA on the globalgiving site. Even a small donation can really make a big impact, so please dig deep and help to protect the precious gift that is the Osa Peninsula!

Thank you!

Donate by US Mobile Phone

Text GIVE 10748 to 80088 to donate $10 to Osa Community Support Fund. Message and data rates may apply. Only works for US mobile phones.

TXT MSG from our lawyers: At this time, GlobalGiving text-to-give only works on major mobile phone carriers in the United States. Texting GIVE 10748 to 80088 makes a $10.00 donation to GlobalGiving Foundation. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Must be 18 years of age or have parental permission to participate. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 80088 to STOP. Text HELP to 80088 for HELP. Full Terms: www.mGive.org/T. Privacy Policy: goto.gg/privacy.

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Oct 23, 2012
What we have already achieved!!

By Alvaro Amo with Ignacio Ocampo & Francisco Delgado | Project Managers

FACOSA (Osa Community Support Fund)-Corcovado Foundation

Three communities in the Osa Peninsula have been supported by the Corcovado Foundation during this year 2012, with funding provided by the Inter American Foundation.

The $12,000 USD distributed among local communities, thru what we called the Osa Support Fund assisted community development project such as the construction of an aqueduct in La Tarde, the completion of the Community Center building in El Progreso and a community project in Rancho Quemado which will provide income to 4 different groups. Also thru this program we financed computers for a school in El Progreso and a website and other working equipment for The Turtle Conservation Association in the same town.

One important matter is that the Inter American Foundation has up to $18,000 USD additional to donate to this fund, but first we need to raise $12,000 USD as a counterpart to their initial donation. We chose Globalgiving to reach out to donors in order to generate funding for these communities. Once the money is in our account 100% of the
donation will be destined to the communities. No administration fee what so ever will be charged.

Between the months of May to August this year, the Foundation was in charge of following up on the implementation of the funding provided. Here are some of the results obtained:

La Tarde, Ecological Community:

1. Construction of the aqueduct in the community, which started operations since August, 2012.

Some of the activities that were made:

Cleaning up of the spring water and installation of the sedimentation tank.
Preparation of the platform to hold up the main tank;
Installation and steadiness of the main tank;
Input and output connections to the tank;
Distribution of the pipes for houses;
Installation in each house.

Progreso Community:

1. Reconstruction of the Community Hall, whose final product was delivered in August, 2012.

Donation of computers to the School, they have not been delivered yet because the money was paid into an account of the Ministry of Education and it must be reimbursed, this process is cumbersome and will
take time. In another hand, the security system where the computers will be kept was already built. Also, a group of women will be responsible for supporting the school maintenance, besides making improvements
in the area of hydroponics.

Rancho Quemado Community:

The bakery project is running, offering different products to the people.

The operation of the mill is almost ready, we proceeded with the purchase of the oxen, they are
being trained for the task. Also the construction of the restrooms is almost
finished.
The project of laying hens is completed; the first production was received in August.
The piggery project is completed, there was just pending the building of a couple of cement walls.
Important to say that this project has a drinking water system where pigs drink and sending sewage into bags into a biodigestor, where methane is produced and can be used for electrical purposes.

Finally, worth mentioning that has been planned a beach cleaning up with ACOTPRO in Playa Ganado, which is difficult to access and it has an important amount of solid waste. This association has conducted two beach cleanups and reforestation with 250 species, this effort was conducted with the cooperation of 13 of its members.

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