About the ProjectBuilding the future together
About a four-to-five-hour drive from San Jose is the mountain town of Cimarrones. This is a small settlement with a population of less than 1,000. Poverty and inequality remain high for the majority of households. Most heads of family work in the nearby banana or pineapple plantations, or provide local transport services and construction labour in nearby Siquirres (56,000 inhabitants). Wages are low, and job security is virtually non-existent. This DEVELOPING WORLD CONNECTIONS project in Cimarrones is all about maximizing possibility for young Costa Ricans to get ahead by improving their quality of education. Volunteers on this one-week VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE will improve drainage and rainwater management and build a roof over an activity area at an elementary school with approximately 220 students. As is, with frequent rain, this concrete space is seldom used. With a new roof, even on rainy days, the space can be used for performances and as an activity space for students. Your team will be supported by a team leader and DWC’s in-country partner, MAR A MAR, are who are assisting rural and indigenous communities on an ambitious coast to coast eco trail project that will bring job opportunities and economic development to marginalized regions of the country.
In Costa Rica
- The unfortunate truth is that 1.1 million people currently live in poverty in Costa Rica. Most of the poor population in the country is situated within rural areas.
- Around 20 percent of the population live below the national poverty line of earning less than $155 per month.
What to ExpectA Typical Workday in Costa Rica
Your DWC team will work with our in-country partner Mar a Mar just outside the small town of Siquirres. In general, expect to work 6-8 hours per day. After breakfast, the team is transported to the project site (by private bus) and the workday begins, between 8:00 and 9:00 AM. There will be lunch in the middle of the day, which is either provided by our host partner or host family . Your workday will end around 4:00 pm. You will be transported back to your hotel for an evening filled with a dinner out, cultural experiences, team bonding or R&R.
Your group will be led by a trained DWC team leader and will be working with a local site supervisor, translator and laborers to complete this project. The worksite will have various types of task to support all skill and strength levels of your team. No building experience is necessary, but a desire to connect with the locals and pitch in as you can is one of the best parts of DWC projects.
This trip includes all accommodations, airport pickup/drop off, in-country transportation and 3 meals a day for the duration of the trip dates.
Explore Pura Vida Costa Rica
Right from the region you can view Turrialba Volcano, the Atlantic sea and the Talamanca mountains. Take a guided hike through the dense jungle of nearby National Park Barbilla. This is a 29,500 acre protected forest on the Caribbean side of the Talamanca Mountains. The park is the home of the second-largest indigenous group in Costa Rica, the Cabécar. This area is ecologically rich and important as a water source for rare (and even endangered) species including three-toed sloths, jaguars, ocelots, pumas, tapirs, toucans and countless other bird species.
Around the country, easily fill up your time with Banana, Vanilla or Chocolate Tours and get involved in fun evening activities including crafting souvenir walking poles, salsa dancing, cooking classes, rafting, surfing or walking along beautiful beaches on the Pacific Ocean or Caribbean Sea sides of the country.
The climate is tropical, warm and humid, all year round. While this equatorial region is characterized by low temperature variations, frequent showers and thunderstorms are common so packing a light raincoat is a good idea.
Trip Details
Travel Light Offset Your Carbon Footprint
Carbon offsets are used to compensate for the greenhouse gasses that we create through certain activities, such as flying. For every tonne of carbon released into the atmosphere, an ‘offset’ is a carefully designed project that absorbs or stores the equivalent CO2 emissions. You can choose to offset your own flight, your whole family’s, or do this as a gift for a friend.
Offset Your Carbon Footprint
Joy
Volunteer Program Manager