Story

For the past 10 years, our small charitable company has been working in some of the poorest communities in Costa Rica. We don’t have big backing, big salaries, or big offices. We simply do what we can, with what we have, and we’ve always been proud of that.

But this year has hit us harder than any other. We rely mainly on income from international volunteers who come through agencies.

But, recently:

1)The value of the dollar dropped 30% in 2023, and never recovered , reducing our operating income dramatically. Agency fees have increased, making it harder for volunteers to afford to come.

2)Our vehicles have needed several expensive repairs.

3)Due to health and family reasons, I’ve had to step back physically and hire more local staff to compensate.

All of this has left us at the end of the year in a serious financial position.

CR is an upper middle-income country now, but that doesn't filter down to the places where families live with mud floors, leaking roofs, crime, and very few opportunities. Thanks to volunteers and generous supporters, we’ve been able to run a little football academy in the shantytown, support under-resourced schools, repair homes, and build stronger, safer spaces for children and families.

WHAT WE DO

~Community Construction & Housing Support

~Laying concrete floors for families who currently live on mud

~Repairing or replacing leaking roofs

~Building and improving homes for families in distress

~Painting, repairing and maintaining local schools

~Football Academy in the Shantytown

A safe space for children to play, learn, and develop confidence

Supported by a part-time local coach and community worker

One of the only structured activities available to these kids.

~Community Activities for Children

Pizza parties, Christmas parties, art and crafts

Sports days and holiday activities

~Childcare and education

~Provide bit of joy and normality in what can be difficult living conditions

Why We’re Asking for Help

We haven’t asked for donations in over five years. We’ve worked hard to make the project self-sustaining. But right now, we’re struggling to keep essential programmes going.

A donation today would help us:

Continue the Football Academy

This costs around $12,000 per year for staffing, washing uniforms, footballs, transportation and vehicle running costs. It is literally a life-changing programme for local children. We lost one child to gun violence due to something he had done before he joined our team. The idea is to keep them out of bad company.

Repair & Maintain Volunteer Housing

Recent complaints mean we urgently need to do maintenance on the accommodation to keep volunteers coming, which is our main source of income. Tropical weather is very damaging to infrastructure, soft furnishings, vehicles, and electronics of any kind. We have not wanted to divert funding from the community to maintain the properties etc, but it has now become unavoidable.

Construction Projects

Floors, roofs, school repairs and urgent home improvements.

Replace funds lost due to economic changes - the drop in the dollar has cost us nearly 30% of our expected annual funding over three years.

Give the kids a Christmas party

Something small and joyful to end the year with dignity and hope.

OUR GOAL

We’re hoping to raise £5,000, which would allow us to stabilise the project through the next few months.

If, by some miracle, we reach £10,000, we can secure the football academy for next year, complete several construction projects, repair volunteer housing, and enter 2025 on steady ground.

Every donation, large or small, will go directly to the work in the community, not into anyone's pocket. I don’t take a salary from this, and I have the staff salaries covered. It will help with paying the community worker, who is not staff, although we fund his work.

We keep our costs minimal. We employ local people. We use local suppliers. And we stretch every donation as far as we possibly can.

Final Words

I have been trying for a long time to run this without needing donations, and it’s humbling to ask again. But the work we do here is too important to lose. It matters to the families, to the children, to the schools, and to the community that has welcomed us for years.

If you can help us get through this difficult patch, we can keep making a difference together.

Thank you for reading, and for anything you can give.

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