Our vibrant Pura Vida

More than two months ago we arrived to a typical Costa Rican family (at once both loud and unbelievably kind!) and quickly this lovely town became our new home. We left the busyness of a German lifestyle behind and internalized the local motto of “Pura Vida”, or Pure Life. But don't trust us – see for yourself!

Esterillos Oeste is a paradise: it’s right on the Pacific coast, only meters from a seven-kilometer-long beach with beautiful waves. It’s perfect for surfing, eating mangos straight from the tree, going for a run on the picturesque beach, or watching parrots, giant lizards and monkeys. But all these are only pleasant benefits, not what we’re here for: to support the children’s aid project Uno+, an important part of which is facilitating the education of the kids on-site.

Why are we doing this? Although Costa Rica’s robust education system mandates six years of compulsory school attendance, we‘ve found significant faults in both quality and quantity of this education in our daily work with the kids. Extensive poverty, especially in rural areas, forces children to contribute to household income by working at a young age, resulting in high dropout rates and no opportunity for continued education. It’s deeply unjust. The kids are unable to realize their potential. They remain locked into lifestyles of poverty and criminality and lose the opportunity to reach for a better life. But we aim to alleviate this problem in what ways we can. We help teach and facilitate different tutorials in general education, art, environment and nutrition in five extremely rural Costa Rican towns (Bandera, El Tigre, Esterillos Oeste, Jacó and La Loma) several times a week. In this way we offer vital support, constancy, and dedication — often impossible in the complicated education system or at home. We are faithfully true to our motto: that motivation alone isn’t enough, rather, it needs a fair chance to be realized.

Volunteer time and manpower is one thing, financing them another. While we are working diligently with no financial compensation, expenses for accommodation, cost of living and the project itself (e. g. rental spaces and tutorial materials) are unavoidable. Your donations – regardless the amount: 5, 10 or 50 euros – is essential to support this much-needed project and our work on-site. You are helping us reach our aim: to enable every child sufficient access to education and the opportunity for a better, fuller life.

¡Pura Vida!

Laura & Francie