Our Purpose - The Reason for Action

Rural areas of Costa Rica are vastly different from the highly developed, urban Central Valley area. Community members in these small villages often struggle with challenges related to the public education system, a scarce job market and the inherent disadvantages that rural life can present.  The children of Potrero have limited class time, idle afternoons and reduced access to continuing education.  Scarce job opportunities, lack of interest and awareness in regard to education further impede economic stability in these rural areas.

The Public Education System

In the Costa Rican public school system, primary education through the elementary level is generally found in every community.  Unfortunately, due to lack of funding and infrastructure, school time is often limited. A regular school day in many rural primary schools is divided into two shifts of students; morning and afternoon. Therefore, a full school day for many elementary public school students is often no more than three hours.  Spending less time in class can leave the remainder of the day lacking constructive educational activities.  Read more...

The Job Market

The lack of opportunities in the job market creates challenges for many Costa Ricans in rural communities. The service sector makes up over 67% of the gross domestic product of Costa Rica. This sector includes tourism, a major industry that generates lucrative job opportunities and drives the local economy. Jobs in the tourism sector often require a specific skill set, which includes a basic knowledge of the English language as well as computer proficiency.  Read more...

The Disadvantages that Rural Life Can Present

Rural life in Costa Rica can be an amazing symbiosis of community members. Extended families living together, helping each other and experiencing life in the moment, removed from the bustle of urban life. But this removed way of life can also lead to an unawareness and lack of interest in education or possible job opportunities. Often times there can be an apparent deficiency of knowledge in regards to continuing education, various occupations, or even other parts of the world.  Read more...

Abriendo Mentes believes that through enhancing educational opportunities and offering tailored experiential learning programs, we can empower individuals to overcome these challenges. Through free, easy access to English language instruction, creative activity and critical thinking, we can offer individuals a chance that may not exist otherwise.  A full, well-rounded education rich in resources and variety can be the gateway to opening minds, subsequently opening doors for the future.

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