Cultural Center Adela Cultura del Cacao

Since 2016, ARA Tours has been working with the Bribrí Indigenous Community, specifically the Watsi folk in Puerto Viejo of Talamanca, sending part of our clients to the area so they can take part in a Cacao Tour; touristic product developed by the Adela Cultural Centre, lead by José Luis Jiménez and his wife, Anna.

The problem that arises with the project, is the way of access to the destination. A hanging bridge which finds itself in very bad conditions must serve as a daily route for the community of 10 families, which in total round up to 80-100 people..

The current bridge measures around 100 metres long and 65 cm from ground level, and possesses unprotected railings. One of the reasons why this bridge finds itself in these conditions, is because every winter, the strong rains of the region carry away and damage the bridge, making the area intransitable und leaving the community incommunicated.

Ara Tours has started managing the situation through the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos (Engineers and Architects’ Association, EAA) with the help of their CSR program (Corporate Social Responsibility Program), to determine if any kind of input from their part could be achieved in the construction of a new bridge, stable and lasting enough so that people can get to the area without any kind of danger for years to come.

After the proposal from the General Board of Directors was analysed, the project was authorised and the scope of this assistance will be handed to the professional support of an architect for the elaboration of preliminary studies, design and blueprints. The community will collaborate by providing labor for the construction of the bridge.

The delivery of the report of the bridge’s final proposal by the architect from the EAA was given on June 2018, the next step now is to get the necessary funds to carry out the work. The community is currently talking with Talamanca’s local government to provide a budget so the construction of the bridge can begin in 2019.

The last rainy season in the Caribbean (2018) brought great negative consequences to the region; some so severe that the hanging bridge completely detached from its foundations, leaving the community once again incommunicated. They had to improvise a path that was in no way safe to those who transit it.

Part of our job is to reactivate the client flow to the region as soon as possible, already knowing that job opportunities in the area are scarce, and one of the ways to restart the economy is through tourism. Because of this, we are waiting for Talamanca’s local government to issue a reply about the project’s financial support as soon as possible to start the elaboration phase of the pedestrian bridge they promised to help with.

Another way in which the touristic activities we practice are leaving a meaningful footprint in the area is that with every visit from the groups we send, there’s a donation of $1 per client to support any project that’s being actively worked on. Currently, the support is going to Volio School, which is attended by the children from or around the Watsi, Volio, Rancho Grande, and Cataratas communities; with a population of about 100 students. The kids who come from far away communities ride bicycles to school, since the bus services are poor or nonexistent.

For 2017, $344 were received and were destined to the purchase of materials and labor for the construction of a bicycle parking lot for the kids who attend school. A roofed cement platform with bicycle stands was built. For 2018, $230 were received and are waiting to be invested on the Volio School at the beginning of the 2019 school year in any kind of necessity the school might currently need.

Barra de Tortuguero School

Since 2017, we’ve been working actively with the Escuela Barra del Tortuguero, in a first stage that consisted in the search of economic funds to condition the school’s IT classroom, one of the school’s current main goals. Barra de Tortuguero lies in a coastal zone and because of its proximity to the sea, it presents a high degree of deterioration in its infrastructure because of the salinity in seawater. For this reason, the school needs constant maintenance of the classrooms.

The school is attended by approximately 200 students from the community. ARA Tours donates $2030 from their social projection budget, with the help of another tour operator who wanted to be part of the project.

The conditioning of the classroom hasn’t been finished yet, because more economic funds are needed. The school hopes to have the necessary amount to make the required adjustments to the IT classroom by 2019.

Starting in 2018, ARA Tours considers necessary that the clients can leave a positive and meaningful footprint in the places they go visit as well. For this reason, family groups are being sent to Tortuguero; and in their packages the possibility to interact with the children of folkloric groups through traditional dances and soccer matches with the sport team of the school is also included.

As part of the clients’ visit, a donation of $5 per client is being made to support any social project that’s been actively worked on. Currently, the support is going to the newly established (2018) folkloric group of a school. The money will be invested in the purchase of folkloric garments, equipment and musical instruments. For 2018, $215 were collected from the clients and will be used to buy the folkloric garments.

Part of the received funds will be used in a second phase, to the soccer team of the school. Balls, vests and necessary garments will be bought with this money to ensure the best experience while playing the sport.

Escuela Calle La Lucha en la Virgen de Sarapiquí

Since 2018 we are sending groups that are visiting the School Calle La Lucha in the Virgen de Sarapiquí. Each client is leaving a donation of $5 per person, which are being invested for the purchase of school packages for the children of the educational center.

The school currently welcomes 80 children from rural areas, whose families dedicate themselves to agricultural jobs. They’re humble families with scarce economical resources, so any help we can bring their way is always welcomed.

Through these tours we develop, our clients will be able to visit the school and can also get to know the Costa Rican education system, and while they’re there, leave a little contribution to the families of the area. We are actually contributing by donating school supplies and we are planning to generally improve the infrastructure (specifically paint jobs, bathrooms, and roofs) of the school among other needs that the school might have.

Escuela San Francisco en Peñas Blancas de San Ramón

The San Francisco School, located in Peñas Blancas of San Ramón, currently welcomes around 300 children of the community. 

This is a model educational centre that counts with a sustainable program called “Finca Integral” and with a five star category of Bandera Azul Ecológica. The school uses a comprehensive learning system, not only providing the educational content, but also a more complete input regarding environmental protection through the preservation of resources, solid residue handling programs, orchards for self consumption, handling of residual water, fertilizer production, and reusable of materials; turning it into a great example. 

The school finds itself in a region where agriculture is practiced, meaning of the economic conditions of the families are not very prosperous. With the visit of our clients to the school, I donation of $3 per client is made, and our suppliers also provide $3 each from the "Granja Eco Turística Victoria". Both inputs have as a goal to contribute to the purchase of school supplies for the children of the area.