Costa Rica rural community support fund

“It is like a dream come true… after 40 years!”   These were the words of our local liaison in Osa when we first opened ground to build the pedestrian bridge in El Progreso. 

Mayra and her family have lived in the Drake Bay area for more than 40 years, and they could not have imagined the day that they would actually be able to cross the Drake Bay river by bridge.  40 years!   For 40 years her family and her friends have been forced to cross the river by foot to go back and forward from Agujitas to Progreso.  Children needed to cross it to go to their nearest highschool and mothers needed to cross it to take their children to the doctor.   Several times a year the rains would come, and the river became unpassable.    It was normal to see students or workers on one side of the river, waiting for the waters to succumb, so that they could go home. Many risked their lives to make it to the other side.

 Our organization is an environmental conservation organization, but we determined many years ago that our mission was to promote the sustainable use of the natural resources: “working with people to protect nature” is our motto.   And our people, the community we serve, needed help.  So, we knocked on the door of our friends and allies.  Friends like you!

You donated and other friends donated and finally with two large gifts from the Interamerican foundation and one of our advisory members our organization was able to raise enough funding to start working.  We pitched the idea to another of our members:  La Clinica Biblica.  They donated the engineering services and the structural plans.   The community will continue donating their time and labor for an approximate value of $15,000 USD.

 We are changing lives!  Thank you for your support!  You can continue to support this and other social development projects that our organization is promoting by donating to https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/osa-community-support-fund/