Programs
Mission
The mission of Abriendo Mentes (AM) is to empower rural Costa Rican communities to further their own economic development by providing educational, social, and technological programs to families and youth in need.
In order to achieve our mission, Abriendo Mentes offers four innovative programs:
Our Community
We gathered the following community demographics from the 2011 Playa Potrero Census:
– The average salary in Playa Potrero is $305 per month
– The average monthly living expenses are $565 per household
– The unemployment rate is 37%
AM operates in the rural village of Playa Potrero, where the only educational resource for youth is a small, dilapidated, four room public school that offers classes a mere three hours per day, 85 days per year. The lack of enthusiasm and funding for public education leads to apathy in the students, fosters a negative view of school and learning, and discourages children from pursuing a higher education.
AM is the only organization in this area offering continuing education classes and extra-curricular opportunities to community members. For many students, the AM classes are their only creative and educational outlet, and their primary opportunity for personal growth. In an area that has almost nothing, the AM programs give people something to work for, to strive for, and to feel proud of.
We don’t only give people the tools to carve out better lives financially and linguistically, we give them the chance to change their entire perspective, and the opportunity to seek a better life for themselves and their children. Not only does AM teach job skills, we also teach self-esteem, hope, and inspiration.
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