by Meghan Gombos and Erica Nelson
Global Service Corps
¡Pura Vida! Costa Rica's motto means "pure life." Since abolishing the national army in 1948, Costa Rica has enjoyed a stable and peaceful democracy. Focusing on health care, education, and protecting its environment, it has developed a substantial middle class and a higher literacy rate than many developed countries.
With less than five-hundredths of a percent of the world's landmass, Costa Rica contains about 4 percent of known biodiversity: 205 species of mammals, 850 of birds, 160 of amphibians, 218 of reptiles, and 130 of freshwater fish.
Many conservation challenges still face this small nation, not least of them lack of funding. The Ministry for the Environment doesn't have enough staff to prevent illegal deforestation. The government has not yet been able to buy all the lands - about a quarter of the country - that are national reserves.
Costa Rica was one of the first countries to realize the possibilities of ecotourism. From the late 80s to mid-90s the number of visitors to Costa Rica doubled, to over 700,000 yearly. In contrast to massive tourism in Mexico and the Caribbean, Costa Rica encourages construction of small, locally-owned hotels, and links tourism with environmental protection.
Many Costa Ricans still struggle to provide their families with the basics. The environment must provide a way of life. Several Costa Rican communities are studying conscious, less-damaging development; many are trying to start their own eco-tourism businesses, small guesthouses, and organic farms, as well as traditional restaurants, taxis, and bus services.
Global Service Corps (GSC), a project of Earth Island Institute, provides human resources to community groups and local organizations working towards sustainable development. GSC participants work on short-term projects (17 days) and/or long-term placements (two to six months). Short-term participants work as a group led by the In-Country Coordinator on various projects. Long-term participants live with families and work according to their skills and interests. Many assist the community in protecting and making a living from its natural resources.
For four years GSC worked in Monteverde, maintaining trails and building eco-lodges in reserves, assisting farmers, working with small businesses, and environmental education. Monteverde became a hub for tourists and volunteers, somewhat saturated with foreigners.
GSC had been taking trips into the southern Nicoya Peninsula, where the Karen Mongensen Reserve, run by a local conservation organization, ASEPALECO, has been trying to establish several projects. GSC asked communities their thoughts about help on their projects and guests in their homes. The communities responded with enthusiasm. In January, our first six participants were sent into the southern Nicoya Peninsula. We continue to work with some of the Monteverde communities on our short-term trips but our new In-Country Coordinator, Erica Nelson, is in Paquera, centrally located among several Nicoya communities where our participants will be.
Our goal is to provide cultural immersion and exchange of ideas to participants who in turn provide help to the host community. We feel it is important for participants not only to experience the beauty of another culture, but to be exposed to the social, political, and environmental injustices occurring abroad, to define their roles in these issues. By living and working with the people, participants are able to establish strong relations with their host communities. They become more aware of how their choices at home affect the global community.
GSC matches participants with local organizations that need their skills and interests. Many are professionals with specific skills, while others are just looking for a new experience and willing to help. We feel everyone can benefit.
Global Service Corps also has projects in Kenya and Thailand, working on HIV/AIDS education, biointensive agriculture, and English language instruction. What can you do to help? Join Global Service Corps on one of our short- or long-term trips in Costa Rica, Kenya, or Thailand. Short-Term Project Trips of 2-4 weeks are available, with experienced GSC leaders. Not only will you work and live with local community members, you will also visit cultural and natural places of beauty in the countryside and the nation's capital.
Long-term placements and student internships are also available for a more independent experience. We offer placements of two months or more with community projects from public schools to women's groups to organic gardens. GSC matches your interests and abilities to the needs of our partner organizations, then sets up both a volunteer job and a convenient homestay. Placements can be extensions of short-term projects, which provide orientation and training. Students find these opportunities an exciting, enjoyable way to fulfill internship or independent study requirements.
For more info about project schedules and fees, contact Global Service Corps:
Write: 300 Broadway, Suite 28, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 788-3666 x128
E-mail: <gsc@igc.org>
Surf: www.globalservicecorps.org
¡Pura Vida! Community Work in Developing Countries