Costa Rica - Whole Planet Foundation

WHOLE FOODS MARKET®
TEAM MEMBER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
2014 COSTA RICA SUMMARY & IMPACT REPORT
WHOLE FOODS MARKET®
TEAM MEMBER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Whole Planet Foundation® (WPF) funds microlending
Through the WFM Team Member Volunteer Program,
programs in Costa Rica where EARTH University
WFM gives Team Members the unique opportunity to
grows Whole Trade bananas which are sold in Whole
travel abroad with WPF to learn about WPF and meet
Foods Market® (WFM) stores. WPF is a WFM non-
microcredit clients, see where and how WFM products
profit whose mission is to alleviate poverty by funding
are grown, provide community service, experience and
microlending programs where WFM sources products
learn from other cultures, and challenge themselves by
as a way to alleviate poverty and give back to our
exploring exciting countries around the globe.
global communities.
Trip 1
WFM supplier partner New
Chapter’s Finca Luna Nueva
in Chachagua
WFM supplier partner
Corsicana Whole Trade®
pineapples in La Virgen
Community service project with WFM
supplier partner EARTH University and
visit with WPF microlending partner
Asociación Costa Rica Grameen
in Guácimo
Sloth Sanctuary
and trip to the beach in
Manzanillo
WFM TEAM MEMBER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
TRAVEL IN COSTA RICA
Trip 2
WFM supplier partner New
Chapter’s Finca Luna Nueva
in Chachagua
WFM supplier partner
Corsicana Whole Trade®
pineapples in La Virgen
Las Pumas Rescue Center
and trip to the beach in
Guanacaste
Community service project with WFM
supplier partner EARTH University and
visit with microlending partner
Asociación Costa Rica Grameen
in Guácimo
2014 COSTA RICA SUMMARY TRIP 1
21 WFM Team Member Volunteers traveled to Costa Rica to volunteer in La Argentina, a community
near EARTH University, where WFM sources Whole Trade® bananas and pineapples. The first group of
11 Team Members repaired the La Argentina Elementary School and Kindergarten, installing a septic
system and handicap rails and ramp for access, painting and repairing doors, fencing and electrical
outlets, cleaning and painting the walls and repairing the ceiling and doors. They visited with
microcredit clients of WPF partner Asociación Costa Rica Grameen and learned about the the bananas
that EARTH University grows which are sold in WFM stores. They also visited New Chapter’s original
biodynamic farm and Corsicana pineapple farm, where Whole Trade® pineapples are grown that are for
sale in WFM stores. Team Members took Spanish lessons and learned about Costa Rican culture, food,
traditions and dance.
TEAM - TRIP 1- 2 WEEKS
GROUP COORDINATOR
June 28- July 12, 2014
Chris Picado
Bryan Castaneda (Northern California, Davis store)
Michelle Mcgrory (Rocky Mountain, Basalt store)
COSTA RICA GUIDES
Victor Abarca
Maria Miglioretti (Mid-Atlantic, Virginia Beach store)
Victor Rodriguez
Corey Jens (Southern Pacific, Valencia store)
Sarah Farsh (Florida Regional Office)
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Helen Castillo (Northeast, Tribeca store)
Chris Picado
Tiffany Chiappetta (Northeast, Milford store)
Kristin Kangur (Pacific Northwest, Roosevelt Square store)
Robin Min (Southern Pacific, Kahala Mall store)
WFM TEAM MEMBER
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
MANAGER
Morgan Srubar (Southwest, Bee Caves store)
Ken Johnson Rodrigues (United Kingdom, Kensington store)
Genie Bolduc
2014 COSTA RICA TRIP 1 ITINERARY
JUNE 28 - JULY 12
TRIP 1 ITINERARY- 2 WEEKS
Saturday, June 28 - Arrive Costa Rica
Sunday, June 29 -Waste management, peri-urban agriculture project, organic dairy farm, Spanish lessons
Monday, June 30 - Banana plantation, EARTH student projects, Spanish lessons
Tuesday, July 1 - microlending visit with WFM partner Asociación Costa Rica Grameen (ACRG) and ACRG
President Ruth Obando, Spanish lessons
Wednesday, July 2 - Visit ACRG related cheese production in Turrialba, EARTH Cultural Celebration
Thursday, July 3 - Home stay and community service La Argentina
Friday, July 4 - Home stay and community service La Argentina
Saturday, July 5 - Home stay and community service La Argentina
Sunday, July 6 - Home stay and community service La Argentina
Monday, July 7 - Home stay and community service La Argentina
Tuesday, July 8 - La Argentina, leave for Caribbean, visit Sloth Rescue Center
Wednesday, July 9 - Beach, Almonds and Corals in Manzanillo, head to Corsicana pineapple plantation
Thursday, July 10 - Visit WFM supplier partner New Chapter at Finca Luna Nueva, medicinal plant tour, learn
about biodynamic and organic agriculture
Friday, July 11 - Finca Luna Nueva, head to San Jose
Saturday, July 12 - Depart Costa Rica
2014 COSTA RICA SUMMARY TRIP 2
21 WFM Team Member Volunteers traveled to Costa Rica to volunteer in La Argentina, a community
near EARTH University, where WFM sources Whole Trade® bananas and pineapples. The second group
of 10 Team Members rebuilt a Basic Comprehensive Health Care Clinic (EBAIS), that is a rural clinic for
1500 people. They sanded and painted new doors, removed old walls, built a handicap restroom, built
access ramps for the handicapped, built some furniture, washed and cleaned, sanded and painted. They
visited with microcredit clients of WPF partner Asociación Costa Rica Grameen and learned about the
the bananas that EARTH University grows which are sold in WFM stores. They also visited New
Chapter’s original biodynamic farm and Corsicana pineapple farm, where Whole Trade® pineapples are
grown that are for sale in WFM stores. Team Members took Spanish lessons and learned about Costa
Rican culture, food, traditions and dance.
TEAM TRIP 2 - 3 WEEKS
GROUP COORDINATOR
August 29 - September 12, 2014
Christopher Picado
Echo Lipten (Mid-Atlantic, Short Pump store)
COSTA RICA GUIDES
Lauren Null (Mid-Atlantic, Short Pump store)
Judith Delvecchio (North Atlantic, Dedham store)
Victor Abarca
Victor Rodriguez
Matthew Vekakis (North Atlantic, Glastonbury store)
Michelle Pierre (North Atlantic, Medford store)
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Kimberly Ponce (Northern California, Monterey store)
Chris Picado
Sadie Miller (Northeast, Manhasset store)
Jessa Graves (Pacific Northwest, Fremont store)
Clinton Duckworth (Rocky Mountain, Pearl store)
Brianna Kremblas (South, Columbia store)
WFM TEAM MEMBER
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
MANAGER
Genie Bolduc
2014 COSTA RICA TRIP 2 ITINERARY
AUGUST 3- 17
TRIP 2 ITINERARY- 2 WEEKS
Sunday, August 3 - Arrive Costa Rica
Monday, August 4 - Waste management, peri-urban agriculture project, organic dairy farm, Spanish lessons
Tuesday, August 5 - Banana plantation, EARTH student projects, Spanish lessons
Wednesday, August 6 - Microlending visit with WPF partner Asociación Costa Rica Grameen (ACRG) and ACRG
President Ruth Obando, Spanish lessons
Thursday, August 7 - Visit ACRG related cheese production in Turrialba, EARTH Cultural Celebration
Friday, August 8 - Home stay and community service in La Argentina
Saturday, August 9 - Home stay and community service in La Argentina
Sunday, August 10 - Home stay and community service in La Argentina
Monday, August 11 - Home stay and community service in La Argentina
Tuesday, August 12 - Home stay and community service in La Argentina
Wednesday, August 13 - WFM supplier partner New Chapter at Finca Luna Nueva, medicinal plant tour, night
jungle walk
Thursday, August 14 - Finca Luna Nueva, learn about biodynamic and organic agriculture
Friday, August 15 - Luna Nueva, head to beach on the Pacific, The Mangroove Hotel
Saturday, August 16 - Mangroove Hotel, Las Pumas Rescue Center, head to San Jose
Sunday, August 17 - Depart Costa Rica
Meeting microcredit clients of Asociación Costa Rica Grameen
THE EXPERIENCE
Seeing sloths
Performing community service
Celebrating with EARTH
Learning about tropical plants
Playing in the Pacific
Learning about bananas
FOOD
Team Member volunteers
learned simpler ways to do
things, like brew coffee and
our it through a simple drip
system, and how to make
tortillas on an open fire.
They ate a lot of patacones
(plantains), rice, avocado
and black beans. They
learned about chocolate
and even taught their home
stay family how to make
s’mores.
CULTURE
The volunteers spent five
days in the community of
La Argentina learning
from their home stay
families, fully immersed
in the community, eating,
sleeping and working
there.
TRADITION
They took lessons at
EARTH in the evenings
to refresh their Spanish
or teach them basic
Spanish phrases.
EARTH provided a
cultural celebration
evening to teach the
volunteers about the
traditions, dance and
history of Costa Rica.
Asociación Costa Rica Grameen
WHOLE PLANET FOUNDATION MICROLENDING PARTNER
ASOCIACIÓN COSTA RICA GRAMEEN
100%
52,806
95.29%
FEMALE
CLIENTS
WPF SUPPORTED
CLIENTS AS OF 9/30/2014
REPAYMENT
RATE
History:
The Asociación Costa Rica Grameen (ACRG) began
•
Total WPF Authorized Grants and Loans: $2,415,000
operations in 2006 as a partnership between Grameen Trust
•
Total WPF Funds Disbursed to Costa Rica: $1,865,000
and Whole Planet Foundation. It is a nonprofit organization
offering microcredit through solidarity group lending
Asociación Costa Rica Grameen's Approach:
methodologies focused on the poorest segment of the
ACRG operates in the peri-urban and rural areas in the
population. ACRG started with one branch on the Caribbean
Eastern section of Costa Rica, specifically the Province of
side of Costa Rica in the town of Siquirres and now boasts 7
Limón. They are the largest microfinance organization in
branches throughout the region, with three more scheduled
Costa Rica and the only one implementing a collateral-free
to open this year. ACRG achieved sustainability for the first
solidarity lending methodology. ACRG's rapid growth
time in 2013 and has continued that accomplishment in 2014.
includes opening 3 new branches in 2014 in the
Northeast section of Costa Rica.
WPF Partnership:
Whole Planet Foundation was the original ACRG start-up
ACRG borrowers carry out activities in small enterprise,
funder with a grant of $1,215,000
mostly commercial activities such as small stores, raising
Since the start of the project ACRG has been able to raise
pigs and chickens, handicrafts and food preparation.
funds from other sources such as the Costa Rican
Development Bank and Oikocredit.
CENTER MEETING
MICROCREDIT CLIENT BUSINESSES
Team Member volunteers attended a center meeting of WPF partner
Team Members visited this microentrepreneur at her artisan shop
Asociación Costa Rica Grameen (ACRG) and got to see the procedure
in the company of WPF’s J.P. Kloninger and ACRG President Ruth
of the microlending in action.
Obando.
LEARNING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESSES
The teams met several different clients with various businesses so that they can better understand the diversity of microentrepreneurial
activities Pictured above is Marilyn, an ACRG client who toured the Team Members around her small farm and shared her experience with
microcredit.
MULTIPLE BUSINESSES
VISITING MICROENTREPRENEURS
This microcredit client had diversified her business and Gabriela is a microcredit client of ACRG who makes a traditional cheese in Turrialba.
has a butterfly farm, a fish farm, and sells tropical fish.
The volunteers learned that by diversifying her
business she increases her earning potential.
EARTH University
EARTH UNIVERSITY
WHOLE FOODS MARKET SUPPLIER PARTNER
Information from EARTH University:
Since 1990, EARTH University’s innovative educational
In 2011, more than 1,900 individuals in the communities
approach has been preparing young people from Latin
surrounding EARTH benefited from the Institution’s
America, the Caribbean and other regions, including Africa
Community Development Program, which includes a
and Asia, to contribute to the sustainable development of
service-learning course where students work with small-
their countries and construct a prosperous and just society.
scale, local producers on their farms and with organized
EARTH offers a rigorous four-year undergraduate program
groups to promote sustainable community development.
in agricultural sciences and natural resources
management and a prestigious, international faculty,
providing a world-class scientific and technological
As part of this program:
•
than 500 bio-digesters to help farmers convert manure
education that emphasizes values, ethical
and other organic waste into methane gas that can be
entrepreneurship and environmental and social
used for cooking. Several hundred more have been
commitment.
installed in Costa Rica by individuals or institutions
EARTH was established by Costa Rican law in 1986 as a
trained by EARTH, and by EARTH alumni around the
private, non-profit, international University and was created
world.
thanks to the support of the Costa Rican Government,
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and
Since its inception, the University has installed more
•
EARTH trained more than 1,780 individuals in
agricultural waste management best practices.
the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
•
More than 70 small-scale farming families completed a
Our Mission:
training course on how to implement sustainable
Prepare leaders with ethical values to contribute to
practices within their own businesses.
sustainable development and to construct a prosperous
and just society.
Our Vision:
Our actions are mission-driven to alleviate poverty,
promote social justice and build a future where our
communities achieve sustainable and shared prosperity.
Our Values:
Human development, Academic excellence, Ethical
behavior, Sustainable development, Social consciousness,
The Search for knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation.
EARTH University and its commercial banana operation
employ more than 600 individuals, providing fair wages
and benefits, professional training, development
opportunities and use of its library and sports and
recreational facilities.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
EARTH University’s values and mission make it the perfect
partner for the Whole Foods Market Team Member Volunteer
Program. They have a strong and lasting relationship in their
community and have been working with the community of La
Argentina, where the Team Members did their community service
work, for more than ten years. This enabled the volunteers to
immerse themselves in the community by participating in home
stays and work alongside community members.
COMMUNITY
SERVICE
CONSERVATION
Whole Foods Market’s relationship
It is such a gift to work with EARTH
EARTH University is a leader in
with EARTH University is deep and
on a community service project since
promoting sustainable agriculture.
so it is a pleasure to introduce Team
their roots in the community are deep
They give scholarships to students
Members to all of the very special
and they have the relationships
from all over the world to learn
people of EARTH who treat us like
needed to ascertain what the
sustainable agricultural practices at
family. Team 2 was in Costa Rica at
community wants and needs and the
EARTH and even require fourth year
Earth when they were celebrating
expertise to get it planned and
students to start a business on
their 25th anniversary with a “color
completed. The Team Members
campus as part of their education.
war”. Ever the consummate hosts,
participated in two projects: one with
EARTH staff taught the volunteers
the EARTH team invited Team
a local school and one with a
about biodynamic farming, waste
Member volunteers to participate.
community clinic.
management and other sustainable
agricultural practices.
Team 1
Team 2
EARTH UNIVERSITY
Volunteers spent time in La Argentina, a community
close to EARTH University, where they:
Constructed a septic tank
Fixed plywood ceiling
Built ramps with handrails for the handicapped
Fixed doors
Built handicap toilet building with sink
Painted walls and soffits of ceiling
Roofed and painted the handicap bathroom building
Rebuilt a Basic Comprehensive Health Care Clinic
Washed the walls and floors
(EBAIS), that is a rural clinic for 1500 people
Built drain pipes
Sanded and painted new doors
Painted the school and kindergarten
Removed old walls
Built and painted the fence
Built handicap restrooms
Fixed door frames
Built access ramps for handicap bathroom
Fixed electrical conduits
Built some furniture
Wired with cables
Washed, cleaned, sanded and painted the clinic
VOLUNTEERS REPAIRED A SCHOOL: LA ESCUELA POCORA SUR
Team Members repaired an elementary school and kindergarten, installing a septic, dug a drainage ditch, added handicap access
and a handicap bathroom, painted, sanded, installed new doors, built and painted the fence, fixed door frames, fixed electrical
conduits, wired, fixed plywood ceiling, fixed doors, painted walls and soffits of ceiling and made beautiful signage.
VOLUNTEERS REFURBISHED EBAIS
Volunteers rebuilt a Basic Comprehensive Health Care Clinic (EBAIS), a rural clinic for 1500 people, sanded and painted new doors, removed
old walls, built a handicap restroom, built access ramps for handicap bathroom, built some furniture, washed, cleaned, sanded and painted the
clinic.
BEFORE
AFTER
REFURBISHING EBAIS
LEARNING ABOUT WHOLE TRADE ® BANANA PRODUCTION AT EARTH UNIVERSITY
LEARNING ABOUT SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AT EARTH UNIVERSITY
New Chapter NEW CHAPTER
WHOLE FOODS MARKET SUPPLIER PARTNER
Information from New Chapter:
Discover the New Chapter Difference!
New Chapter® was founded in 1982 out of a desire to
bring the healing value of nature’s botanicals into
people’s lives. Our mission then was the same as it is
today: To deliver the Wisdom of Nature, thus relieving
suffering and promoting optimal health.
Based in Brattleboro, Vermont, New Chapter formulates
whole-food cultured vitamin and herbal supplements with
a profound appreciation for herbal synergies. The
company is dedicated to both scientific validation and
time-tested herbal tradition, and ensures that each
product represents a new chapter in its category. Wildcaught Alaskan salmon oil, plant-sourced whole-food
calcium, whole-herb extracts, and a comprehensive line
of whole-food cultured vitamins and minerals compose
our product line.
Committed to Sustainability
New Chapter has long been working toward an organic,
sustainable world. We were the first in the supplement
industry to produce vitamins and supplements under the
standards of the National Organic Program (NOP). In
fact, our entire multivitamin line is third-party certified
made with organically grown vegetables and herbs. New
Chapter is also committed to avoiding genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) whenever possible. Our
products were the first vitamins and supplements to be
Non-GMO Project verified. We are also proud to be a
Certified B Corporation—a new kind of company that
uses the power of business to solve social and
environmental problems.
A Socially Conscious Business
We are committed to infusing every product with our
sustainable mission. Our concern for the planet is
expressed through every act of business, whether large
or small. New Chapter focuses on everything from
recycled pens and used office furniture to closed-loop
corrugated systems. We believe it’s vital to examine
business impacts and aggressively try to reduce our
footprint… to tread a little lighter on this planet we all
share.
Helping Hands
New Chapter is devoted to several philanthropic
partnerships, both at home in Vermont and across the
globe. We look for organizations focusing on healing, for
both planet and self. For example, New Chapter supports
the Bumi Sehat birthing clinics in Indonesia by supplying
Perfect Prenatal™ multivitamins to fulfill their supplement
needs. In Costa Rica, we helped create Semillas
Sagradas (Sacred Seeds) at our partner farm, Finca Luna
Nueva. What began as a single sanctuary for medicinal
plants vulnerable to loss of habitat and inappropriate
harvesting has now become a network of Sacred Seeds
gardens around the globe, managed by United Plant
Savers. These are just a few of the ways that New
Chapter focuses on human health and acts as
environmental stewards.
FINCA LUNA NUEVA
BIODYNAMIC GARDEN
Finca Luna Nueva is New Chapter’s biodynamic partner
Finca Luna Nueva has gardens for medicinal herbs as well as
farm set in the midst of a protected forest near Arenal
food and raises livestock as well. Stephen toured the
volcano.
volunteers around the farm and taught them best practices.
CHOCOLATE
Team Members were treated to a class on chocolate and taught the properties and specifics of cacao and then got to grind the cacao
nibs on a molcahete (grinding stone) and make hot chocolate.
MEDICINAL PLANT TOUR
FOREST
Stephen is the resident expert on sustainable agricultural
Since Finca Luna Nueva is nested in a huge tract of
practices that they employ on the farm as well as the
protected land, all kinds of unusual plants, insects and
medicinal properties of the plants.
animals can be seen on the guided walks led day and night.
Corsicana
CORSICANA WHOLE FOODS MARKET SUPPLIER PARTNER
Information sourced from Whole Story, WFM Blog:
In the little town of La Virgen, Costa Rica you’ll find Finca
work with Whole Foods Market to open the state-of-the-
Corsicana, a Whole Trade ® partner that supplies Whole
art learning center. There are four classrooms in this top-
Foods Market with pineapples. But this is no ordinary
notch facility where the center teaches English as a
pineapple farm!
Second Language and computer skills classes to adults
When you buy a Whole Trade® product, a portion of
and youth. The computer room has 20 brand new
what you paid goes into a development fund for the
computers and all the rooms have some very cool desks
community that produced it. The farmers and
made by a local wood worker.
farmworkers then determine how to use those funds to
meet the needs of their community.
The money that comes from the purchase of Whole
Trade Guarantee products not only helped build the
Whole Foods Market sources Whole Trade organic
center – it helps staff the school, too. The new learning
pineapples from Finca Corsicana in the valley of the
center plans to have over 500 students enrolled. And
Mount Poas volcano in Northern Costa Rica. Workers at
here’s the best part: the school is for the whole
Finca Corsicana voted to invest community development
community, not just the workers from Finca Corsicana.
funds in a learning center that provides courses in
reading, computer skills and English.
Finca Corsicana workers voted to choose the community
project and the committee that organized the project was
Costa Rica is one of the most literate countries in Latin
made up of workers, as well. You could feel everyone’s
America, but access to secondary education is limited in
pride in this ambitious project, one that took a lot of
isolated rural areas, where many children leave school in
planning, responsibility and hard work. But the workers
order to work. That’s why the community center at Finca
aren’t stopping with the learning center; they have plans
Corsicana is so vital — it provides an opportunity for 550
to build a children’s day care center and a gymnasium on
members of the farming community to continue their
the same property. Both of these are needed by the
education and develop new skills.
community, and I’m sure they’ll accomplish their goal.
Simply by sourcing food from farmers who care about
Whole Trade premiums provide workers and
their community and their workers, we can help with
communities with the funds to do amazing things, like
projects like these happen. Now that’s food with a
purpose!
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
Team Members loaded onto the pineapple express to be taken out into the pineapple plantation to learn the intricacies of growing Whole
Trade® pineapples.
FACTORY TOUR
Team Members saw how the pineapples are propagated, grown, harvested, washed, selected and packaged to be delivered to Whole Foods
Market stores for sale. These truly are “pineapples with a purpose.”
WHOLE TRADE®
Not only are Whole Trade® pineapples sustainably grown by workers who have good working conditions, a fair price is paid for them and on
top of that a premium is paid to be used for the betterment of the workers. Whole Foods Market contributes 1% of Whole Trade® labeled
products sales to Whole Planet Foundation to alleviate poverty.
TEAM MEMBERS IN COSTA RICA
MORGAN
“EARTH was AMAZING!!! The students were so talented and fun to learn
from, and I loved hearing their stories. We enjoyed being toured around the
campus by them, watching the World Cup with them, and attending the
Multicultural Fair. I also loved seeing where we get EARTH bananas! We had
a great time and the campus is beautiful. I definitely want to go back!”
KIMBERLY
“I love EARTH University. It is such an
amazing school and its goal of fair
trade, fair wages, sustainability and
caring for the environment goes hand
in hand with Whole Foods Market
Core Values.”
KEN
“EARTH University is one of the best places to stay and learn about so many
different things. The best experience ever. Will never forget the moments...”
COREY
“I had the time of my life on this trip! I wish I
could do it every year, and plan to apply
whenever eligible. All the venues we stayed
LAUREN
“My favorite part was the home stay and community service because it offered a
legitimate experience of living in rural Costa Rica.
I WANT TO DO IT 100 MORE TIMES.”
at were AMAZING!! By far my
favorite part of the trip was the home stay
and community service. My particular
experience was outstanding. Our home was
gorgeous and while the amenities were
basic I would not have changed anything
about it! Working side by side with the
ECHO
people of the village was THE most
rewarding experience of my life! The work
“This is a wonderful experience everyone should try to participate .you get to
meet the Team Members from other stores ,travel and learn new things at
same time. It makes me feel proud as Whole Foods employee.”
was extremely hard but I enjoyed every
second of it!
EARTH made me speechless. From the
students to the staff to actual campus I was
in constant amazement and would be highly
disappointed if that partnership changed.
BRYAN
“EARTH university was a great experience, I had a great interaction with most
of the students. I was blessed to speak the language.”
The people were so inspiring, friendly,
passionate and welcoming and truly made
the adjustment and introduction to Costa
Rica a delight. Aside from bonding with my
group and the chance of a lifetime to watch
the Costa Rican national team on TV in The
MICHELLE
World Cup, my favorite part was the home
“I loved staying at EARTH University! It was such an inspiration, so
stay. I was fortunate enough to be placed
beautiful, and I learned a lot to boot. I also really appreciated making
on a beautiful farm, with an amazing family.
connections with other TMs from other stores. What an amazing
experience! Making hot chocolate from scratch was a highlight, as well as
eating tilapia and yucca straight out of the garden/farm and ALL the
Despite basic/minimal amenities, I enjoyed
every moment of the home stay. I LOVED
THIS EXPERIENCE!”
delicious fresh food at the home stay! Meeting the microcredit recipients
was the most meaningful thing for me, and I will have those specific
HELEN
memories close to my heart. I wish we had time and encouragement to
“Wanted to stay there (and at EARTH
talk with them more. Meeting the microcredit recipients and the students at
University), and not return to the U.S.
EARTH was the most "real" part to me and really made an impact
What they offered is so aligned with
emotionally!”
my lifestyle.”
2014 COSTA RICA WFM TMVP IMPACT
21 TEAM
MEMBERS
55
MICROCREDIT
CLIENTS MET
1 SEPTIC TANK
CONSTRUCTED
2 HANDICAP
BATHROOMS
INSTALLED
2 HANDICAP
RAMPS WITH
HANDRAILS
BUILT
1 COMMUNITY
CLINIC
REFURBISHED
1 ELEMENTARY
AND
KINDERGARTEN
REPAIRED
5 NIGHTS
SPENT WITH 7
LOCAL
FAMILIES