(L – R) Alberto Taylor, Sam Pennisi, Meredith Hyland, Liz Smith

By Sam Penisi, member of the Rotary Club of Arcata Noon.

Our entry into Costa Rica was a surprise. I expected a lush city in San Jose. I was not disappointed. Within minutes of our arrival, the culture and the landscape seemed  both modern and traditional. The surprise was how progressive this country is when it comes to the environment. It is considered a gift and is treasured and it seems to be considered the nation’s best economic engine.

Four Rotarians went on this journey of discovery. As individuals and as members of a club, we were searching for an opportunity to serve. We have a contact in country. He is from the high mountain country that needs help and he served as our host, guide, driver, and interpreter while we were there.

Costa Rica, as a country is doing well. Tourism, eco-tourism, resort development, coffee and other businesses are doing well.  Transforming  the tremendous bio-diversity into economic gain is a national goal. But in the highlands, groups of people living there for generations has not been part of that economic gain.

The four of us visitors seemed to be on the same wavelength of what kind of international project we wanted to do. We are excited about a different kind of project. We want to assist the community living in this cloud forest to create their own employment opportunities. With our help and the help of the Rotary Club of San Jose, we want to help the community explore the possibilities that would work for their level of skills, their limitations, their community mores, and their environment. These may be small agricultural businesses, food production businesses, or work as yet unknown.

After meeting with members of the local community, some 50 women and children came on foot to our meeting site, it is clear these people want to work. We expected a handful and were overwhelmed at the turnout. They don’t want brick and mortar, they don’t want a hand out, they want sustainable work that can improve their quality of life. They want their children to have more opportunities than they had. They see the value of education but high school is difficult due to the travel distance and the need to help the family survive.

Our short visit to the highlands impacted all of us. The natural environment is breathtaking but so is the poverty and lack of opportunities. The people are humble, friendly and wanting to work to provide for their families. As Rotarians, we have a unique opportunity to participate in a different kind of project. A project that could last for years and produce exciting and diverse ideas, and could have the added bonus of spilling over into our own culture and look at job creation in a new light here at home.