Costa Rica is the most popular Central American country for tourists. People come from around the world to see its beautiful rainforests and beaches. However, like much of Central America, Costa Rica struggles with poverty and inequality. The level of poverty in Costa Rica has been increasing over the past few years. The studies estimate that over the past five years, poverty levels have increased by 2.3 percentage points. Some studies even state that a quarter of all Costa Ricans could have been living in impoverished households, as of 2022. This increased level of poverty is making society more dangerous for everyone. The number of homicides went up 40% between 2022 and 2023. As the situation worsens, these five charities operating in Costa Rica are more vital than ever.

SOS Children’s Villages

Children are an at-risk group in Costa Rica. In 2020, UNICEF found that “nearly 32% of all children and adolescents live in monetary poverty, of which 12% live in extreme poverty.”

SOS Children’s Village is helping some of the most vulnerable kids in society right now who struggle with poverty, child labor and violence and has been doing it since 1972. Currently, 190 kids attend the organization’s schools and kindergartens and 300 live in its care. The organization also created the YouthLinks program. This digital platform “connects young people with mentors in the country.” The mentors teach employable skills and job market advice to young people.

Cruz Roja

Cruz Roja operates in Costa Rica and is a part of the international Red Cross community. The organization has more than 5,000 volunteers throughout the country and has responded to an incident every minute in 2023.

The organization provides key medical services to Costa Ricans and has a fleet of around 600 ambulances operating in 122 communities around the country. Cruz Roja is also ready to provide humanitarian assistance in cases of natural disasters and has specialized units prepared to provide support in different environments and situations.

Hope Partners International

Hope Partners is a Christian organization that operates in Costa Rica. Its goal is to break the cycle of poverty and improve the lives of young people there.

Recently, the organization opened its first purpose-built facility in the Pavas neighborhoods in the capital San Jose. Pavas is one of the most deprived areas in San Jose where only 20% of residents have a high school diploma. The new facility will impact the lives of over 600 kids and it will provide a hub for Hope Partners to deliver their food and education programs.

Rahab Foundation

The U.S. Department of State recognizes Costa Rica as a Tier 2 country regarding its efforts to eliminate human trafficking, stating that the country “does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.”

Founded in 1997, the Rahab Foundation helps victims of human trafficking and the sex trade. It provides many different forms of help for the victims including job training, legal advice and psychological care. The foundation provides care and various classes to victims and their children. Women are also offered “offered vocational training in micro-enterprise administration, baking, sewing, jewelry making, quilting and cosmetology.”

Sex trade victims and their families often find themselves in the cycle of poverty. The Rahab Foundation helps these victims recover and create a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their children.

Hogar Siembra

As of 2023, Costa Rica registered more than “30,000 domestic violence complaints over the past four years, with an alarming 10,000 cases reported in 2023 alone.” Founded in 1983, Hogar Siembra is an organization providing shelter to girls aged 12 to 18 who have suffered from abuse or domestic violence.

The organization provides various kinds of training to these girls, teaching them simple habits such as hygiene and providing English language courses. It also provides regular therapy and mental health check-ups, alongside work opportunities and academic education, ensuring to prepare young girls for their adulthood.

Hogar Siembra allows young women to not be defined by their abuse. It is helping these victims restart their lives and create a prosperous future for themselves.

Costa Rica is struggling with poverty and its effects. The work of these five charities operating in Costa Rica is helping at-risk groups create a poverty-free future for themselves.

– Richard Sartor
Photo: Flickr