Community

At AstilleroVerde we work with our community, for our community.

We are proud to call Punta Morales, Costa Rica, our home since 2018. Since then, AstilleroVerde has been a model for ecologically- and socially- regenerative practices that have a direct positive impact in the surrounding communities and ecosystems. We are currently developing our community impact plan, by conducting questionnaires, focus groups and interviews, to identify the specific needs of our community. We are grateful to the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives for supporting this project.

ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY

Our home of Punta Morales is a small coastal town in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. Fishing provides the main source of income in the town, however, this way of life is becoming less financially viable due to over exploitation and pollution. Other opportunities for employment and training in the town are limited. Additionally, the local ecosystem consisting of mangroves and tropical dry forests are two of the most threatened ecosystems in the world.

Our mission is to positively impact the future of our coastal community through programs that focus on reforestation, food security, education, employment and professional training.

Developing Our Community Impact Plan

We are using a variety of techniques to develop our community impact plan, we will then ask for feedback from local people to ensure our plan has local backing.

Focus Groups

We conducted four focus groups to identify the main environmental, social and economic challenges faced by local people. Each focus group centered on a different demographic of our community to ensure we heard a spectrum of opinions.

Questionnaire

We designed a questionnaire to gain vital information from a broad spectrum of local people. The questionnaire aimed to gain insight on gender inequality, food security and economic livelihoods in our community.

Supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, managed by the Embassy of Canada, funds small-scale, high-impact projects aimed at empowering communities and vulnerable populations, and promoting human rights for all. For more than 50 years and in 120 countries, the Canada Fund has contributed to promoting democracy, supporting the protection of human rights, ensuring security and stability, creating opportunities and equality for children, women and youth, and stimulating sustainable economic growth, including actions in favor of the environment.