Costa Rica rural community support fund

The economy in Drake Bay relies on international tourism. In 2020, and 2021, amidst the COVID Pandemic, Costa Rica closed its borders, leaving the area with zero income. Given the economic crisis, we needed to provide communities with options to generate food security. Families had lost their jobs or their source of income. They became desperate and started logging, poaching, and hunting.

Older people, caretakers, and people with physical limitations couldn't do this. So we knew we needed to reach those that were more isolated.

During the pandemic, we realized that many older people were not being taken care of by their families even before the pandemic. Many live in tin houses with dirt floors and no running water. Their homes are located miles away from a doctor or a food store. We found many of them malnourished and sick with infections in their feet.
We took it upon us to support these people. And you helped us do it. In some cases, we contacted their children to find out why we're they so abandoned by their families. We realize many children we're not even leaving close or we're facing a dire socioeconomic situation too. But, we also found some that were oblivious.

During the pandemic we delivered almost 1000 food packages to 50 families living in such conditions prioritizing abandoned adults and people with physical limitations. In 2022, after the COVID pandemic had passed or at least tourism had resumed, we decided to focus our efforts on the most vulnerable. Therefore we continue to deliver food packages to 17 older adults. About 204 food packages were delivered in 2022, and in 2

023, we have continued our quest and delivered 60 packages in the last three months.
Last year, the area experienced unprecedented rains, so we also supported the National Emergency Commission in delivering food packages to isolated communities due to the rivers flooding in Progreso,. As a result, we supported four communities in which we delivered 140 food packages. We also helped with labor to repair impassable roads because of rain on the roads.

Among our work, we also supported the construction of a community shelter in Los Angeles. In addition, we purchased 30 zinc sheets to build a small community house to carry out fundraising activities and activities with children in the community.

We are stewards of our land, but we can only take care of it if we care for each other.