Community Development & Education in Quepos, Costa Rica

Summary

The isolated community of El Cocal faces many challenges both social and economic. This project will work with the local school to improve resources making education more accessible to children, keeping them off the streets. In addition an English Education program for children and adults will create more opportunities for sustainable employment.

Background

There is one school in El Cocal which serves 150 children with very limited funding. With a lack of teachers and space children only attend class in the morning or afternoon. Outside of school they are left to wander the streets unsupervised, vulnerable to involvement in drugs, criminality and other abuse. In the community low infrastructure means there are few job opportunities outside of subsistence fishing which offers no stable income.

Project aims

This project will renovate an old school room into a multipurpose activities room which will act as a classroom increasing capacity. The room will also be used for weekly visits from the doctor to provide health care to children and families. Additionally we will run the local community centre providing an educational, creative & safe environment for spare time keeping children off the streets and out of trouble. English classes for children and adults will provide valuable life skills.

Long-term sustainability

Working in partnership with the local school this project will improve facilities and the quality of education available to children in the community. Our goals include developing a long term sustainable English education program which will improve linguistic skills for both children and adults creating more opportunities for stable employment benefitting generations for years to come.