Cafh and Cinchona, Costa Rica - National Rural Health Association

Cafh and Cinchona, Costa Rica: Embracing All
Four Rural Economic Development Principles
NRHA’s Multiracial and Multicultural Conference
Memphis, TN
December 10, 2009
Presented by Kim Byas, Sr.
Cafh—Chicago
Cafh: Organization and Purpose
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Cafh is an international organization of
individuals committed to inner work and
spiritual unfolding.
 The purpose of Cafh is to help individuals:
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expand consciousness through a continuously
updated interpretation of life and the world; and
develop a sense of responsibility.
More information at
http://www.cafh.org/english/index.htm
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Cafh Leadership in Cinchona
Cafh Community’s Garden in Cinchona
Cafh’s Journey in Cinchona
Between 1977 and 1979 twenty Cafh
members with no resources and with no
organizational infrastructure arrived in
Costa Rica.
 Over time, Cafh became part of the
community of Cinchona
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70 km/43 miles north of San Jose
 Alajuela canton/province
 Altitude of 1500 meters/4924 ft
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Cafh Community’s Trout Farm in Cinchona
National Demographics

As a democratic nation that has no
standing army, Costa Rica has a little
over 4 M people whose literacy rate is
almost 95%, median age is just under
28, and a life expectancy of close to 78
years compared to the international
figure of 54 years.
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Costa Rica and Cinchona…
Cafh’s Work in Costa Rica
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In Costa Rica, members of Cafh founded
the El Angel Company. This company
addressed four key elements in their
rural economic development
Entrepreneurship
 Public infrastructure
 Social infrastructure
 Education
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Cafh and Rural Economic Development
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Entrepreneurship
Employ local laborers on dairy, guava, and
pineapple farms to supply national and
international companies.
 Develop food and food products packaging
and processing for other national and
international companies.
 Designed and built a hydroelectric plant.

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Cafh and Rural Economic Development

Education
Built libraries for two neighboring towns
 Donated land and facilities for schools and
sports fields
 Provided scholarships for secondary and
college studies
 Conducted adult literacy programs
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Cafh and Rural Economic Development

Public infrastructure
Helped pave 25 km/15.5 miles of roadway
for tourism, commerce, and travel
 Built bridges
 Brought electricity throughout the region
 Installed telephone lines
 Provided running water
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The nearby Cinchona waterfall—a natural resource…
…becomes the regional source of electricity
Cafh and Rural Economic Development

Public infrastructure in health care
Donated resources for specialized medical
care in cases requiring treatments not
covered by the country’s socialized
medicine program
 Opened a free medical clinic
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Cafh and Rural Economic Development

Social services
Provide family counseling to area residents
and El Angel employees
 Developed living quarters for employees
 Collaborated in building houses of worship
for different religions
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Entrepreneurship: El Angel began in 1980 and the
factory opened in 1982
Aerial View of El Angel Factory
Rear view of El Angel Factory
Successful Entrepreneurship

Employed 340 area residents
 El Angel Group employs 1,000 direct and 4,500
indirect workers
 Earnings of approximately U.S. $30 M annually
 Portfolio has grown to more than 87 products—
including its own brands and supplying raw materials
to other Costa Rican and multinational manufacturers
 El Angel Group exports to the U.S., Central America,
Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Chile
 El Angel Group trades with Canada, Dominican
Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Japan
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El Angel Workers at a Fiesta
Rallying after a disaster…

Earthquake of 6.2 on the Richter scale
struck in 1/8/2009
23 dead, 17 missing, 91 wounded, 2,326
homeless
 More than U.S. $100 M in damage—
including the El Angel factory
 After the tragedy, the company continued to
pay all salaries for the next two months
while operations resumed

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Cinchona and the earthquake…
Rear of El Angel factory before the quake…
…and rear view of factory after the quake.
Inside the factory after the quake
Optimism and renewal after the quake…
Optimism and renewal after the quake…
El Angel is Honored and Recognized
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Support from the Costa Rican government,
chambers of commerce and industry, and other official
institutions
Honors and Awards
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Department of Justice: "Builders of peace 2009"
National Commission of Values: "Restoring of Values 2009"
Chamber of Commerce: " Social Responsibility 2009"
Chamber of Commerce of Alajuela: "Corporation and
Solidarity 2009"
Rotary Club of Alajuela: "Solidarity "
Solidarism Movement: "Solidarity"
Department of Agriculture: " Solidarity"
Department of Agriculture and FAO on the World Food Day:
"Honorary Mention"
El Angel’s Campaign of Gracias
El Angel’s video and music campaign to express
gratitude for the incredible moral support received
from the Costa Rican nation.
 Look on youtube under El Angel Gracias Costa Rica.
 The person who wrote the song donated the lyrics and
the copyright as did the person who composed the
music.
 The narrator is a staff person as are all the people who
appear in the campaign.
 The campaign has the support of the communication
industry such as TV and radio who provided 100% in
matching funds to air the campaign.
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Key Lessons Learned
Work with the community—local and
national
 Leverage local resources and assets
 Move toward economic self-sufficiency
 Take a long-view
 Focus on ‘common good’
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For more information:

Please contact
Analia Garcia, President
El Angel Industrial Group
[email protected]
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