Kids to Kids

Featured Story: Caribe de Cariari

Pura Vida! Costa Rica Blog Series

*This is the fourth blog in a series documenting a recent trip to visit Kids to Kids projects in Costa Rica by Patrick, Kids to Kids Program Coordinator. To read the previous blogs, follow these links: blog #1, blog #2 and blog #3.

Caribe de Cariari

Caribe is located in the hottest part of Costa Rica, northeast of San Jose almost to the Parque Nacional Tortuguero (Tortuguero National Park). If you were to travel to the national park, you would find unparalleled biodiversity: howler and spider monkeys, three-toed sloths, toucans, great green macaws, and, of course, giant sea turtles nesting on the shore. However, if you stop short of the park in Caribe, you won’t find nearly the same biodiversity. In fact, you will really only see one thing: bananas.

Banana plantations (owned by the *big three* of the international banana trade; Google it!) stretch as far as the eye can see in every direction, and life in Caribe is undoubtedly marked by their existence. The climate is tropical and days are HOT. Most people work long, difficult hours in the fields and poverty is a fact of life. Drugs and alcohol are major problems that are increasingly affecting kids at a younger age. Most kids drop out of school before high school.

In the midst of these difficult circumstances, amazing things are starting to happen in Caribe. Dynamic local Community Leaders are emerging to help chart a new path for youth. The Peace Corps Volunteer is introducing creative new opportunities for kids to be kids. And, with the support of Kids to Kids, the youth of Caribe are pursuing their dreams like never before!  

The Project

Campamento Survivor was an inspiring, creative Kids to Kids project that took 30 at-risk kids away from Caribe for a four-day Survivor-themed leadership and life skills camp on a remote, uninhabited island off the coast of Costa Rica (just like the TV Show!!). For the rest of this story, we're going to let the Community Leader in charge of the project describe the impact through a series of interviews. For the non-Spanish speakers, underneath each clip you will find a translation to read as you watch. Underneath each translation you will also find commentary by Patrick, the Kids to Kids Program Coordinator. Enjoy!

Translation
Alright, my name is Cristian Gomez and I’m friends with Andy [the Peace Corps Volunteer]. We began the camp as, I don’t know, a venture. We wanted to do something different for the adolescents, because many of them have problems with drugs and they’re beginning to smoke. Most of them are between 13 and 16 years old, and in this community they don’t have a basketball court, only one for soccer. They don’t have many alternatives.

From the Kids to Kids Program Coordinator
Christian's last sentence is an understatement. There is NOTHING else to do in the community aside from hanging out on the soccer field. The youth of Caribe are in serious need of opportunities.

Translation
The idea of the theme was that the kids would survive the difficulties they faced on the island, and that we’re going to help them survive all these difficulties; not having water, not having light, all of these inconveniences. [The thought is] that they can apply this in their lives here in their neighborhood. They’re going to have difficulties. They’re going to have obstacles,. They’re going to have to deal with inconveniences. However, they can move forward and survive in their real lives.

From the Kids to Kids Program Coordinator
I thought this was such an inspiring way to describe the purpose of this Kids to Kids project. So many kids in the communities where Kids to Kids projects take place face extreme difficulties and obstacles, yet Kids to Kids projects are there to encourage creativity, leadership and problem-solving.

Translation
We bought shrimp so that the kids could fish. One day they had to find their own food; it was part of the theme of the day. They had to get their own lunch. Some dedicated themselves to fishing and fished. There were plantain trees on the island, so others climbed the trees and collected plantains. Others peeled coconuts to make the food. Between everyone, each tribe had to collaborate to eat!

From the Kids to Kids Program Coordinator
What a fun project! Just like the real Survivor, the kids were put into challenging situations and had to work together to overcome obstacles. They worked within their tribes and collaborated with the other tribes. In the end they ate lunch!

Translation
I believe it [the project] was a success. It surpassed the expectations we had set. The kids came back delighted. They didn’t want to return; they wanted to spend more time there. Even though we had been there four days, they wanted it to be more; they liked it so much. In addition to all the fun competitions, we also gave three workshops a day, one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one at night. We spoke about self-improvement and self-esteem, and in each workshop we taught tools on how to confront the difficulties of life: poverty, not having resources, coming from a dysfunctional home. Each person who gave a workshop spoke about themselves, about their experience as an adolescent living at home. [That enabled us to] identify a lot with them. They [presenters + youth] cried in many of the workshops. It was very emotional.

From the Kids to Kids Program Coordinator
These workshops were the heart of the project, and everyone involved reported that they were an amazing thing to be a part of. The kids shared, forged friendships and learned important lessons about making healthy decisions and good life choices. This type of workshop and these types of conversations are so crucial to the success of a Kids to Kids project, combining the fun and the creative with the educational and the meaningful.

Translation
After the camp we began a process with the kids where today we’re functioning even after the camp. We created a group called Chicos del Barrio ("Kids from the Neighborhood"). We meet once a week on Fridays at 6:30. We meet in the same way, to play games, to have fun, and to share. We always give a workshop or a lesson about personal motivation that we talk about in our lives. It’s a space where youth are going to play, but also where they’re going to share and learn.

From the Kids to Kids Program Coordinator
I loved hearing this. From a Kids to Kids Grant Award and the commitment of a Peace Corps Volunteer and Community Leader, kids’ lives have truly been changed. They now have a safe space to be kids, to get advice, to share and to learn. Another great example of the ripple effects that a Kids to Kids project can have in underserved communities around the world.

To see more photos of Kids to Kids' impact in Caribe, become a fan of Kids to Kids on Facebook and visit our photo albums. To support more Kids to Kids projects like these, please make a donation to the Kids to Kids All-Kids Fund here.