Project Launch:

Penas Blancas is a rural community in Costa Rica with a population of about 3,500 people. The town has its own primary school and Center for Education and Nutrition, an institution dedicated to providing adequate nutrition and resources for mothers, infants and children from poor or at risk populations. However, the town does not have a high school, a health clinic, nor a police station that is regularly staffed. While the community has several organized groups, there is often a lack of effective cooperation and communication in order to identify opportunities and needs in the community and to work together to develop project, since residents are primarily concerned about the lack of work opportunities, the lack of youth activities and increases in drug activity. "Developing our Self-Sufficiency" is a project co-led by a local women’s group and the local development association, designed to improve participants' self-sufficiency and foster collaboration amongst community members and organizations. Trainings will be conducted to help participants achieve self-sufficiency through success in their personal lives, in their businesses, and in their communities. The trainings will target the development of 15 small business owners and ultimately the community, as a whole, will benefit from the increased collaboration between community groups and improved businesses.