WORKCAMPS IN COSTA RICA

In 2007 OIKOS organises in collaboration with Vive Mexico, a local non-profit organisation, several workcamps in Costa Rica.

The fee of participation (including the annual membership-card of OIKOS) is 80,00 Euro and has to be paid when applying for a camp. 
The camp-fee (including board and lodging) is 210,00 Euro and has to be paid to the camp-coordinator on arrival in Costa Rica.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

 Our Philosophy consist of involving young people of different nationalities in projects focused in aid and cooperation with the objective to provide a space where the energy and creativity of them can be channeled in a background that promotes the brotherhood and solidarity between the nations of the world, and at the same time, help them to create a consciousness of the problems that are a human responsibility, by inviting them to take part in an activity to help our planet. 

Our objectives are:

• Promote a cultural exchange between young people of different nationalities and backgrounds.

• Provide a unique and original way to discover all that Mexico has to offer.

• Give to the young Mexicans the opportunity to participate in international workcamps around the world through our partner organizations.

• Promote and develop voluntary service in Mexico as a mean of solving social, cultural and ecological problems in our country.

 

GENERAL CONDITIONS ABOUT THE PROJECTS

•  Volunteers must be 18 or older.

• English is the official language inside the groups but due to the nature of some of the projects a basic knowledge of Spanish could be required.

• It would be very good if volunteers could come with a preparation for projects in  Latin American countries in order to reduce the cultural shock, but also all volunteers will have an orientation session the first day of each workcamp.

• We ask the volunteers to stay during the whole duration of the project.

• The departure day for the group will be the last day of the workcamp.

• Volunteers will need to bring sleeping bag and air mattress.

• Volunteers have to pay the Fee of the projects at their arrival on the projects, in the info sheet it will be mentioned in which currency. For the projects taking place in Mexico, they can also send the money from their country before hand, this is well explained in the info-sheets.

• Volunteers are working 5 days a week between 4 and 6 hours a day. Generally on the week ends the group will visits different part of the region where they will be.

• In all the projects the volunteers will be self managed with the help of the leaders. They will cook their food, clean their lodging and decide together what kind of food to buy, and how to use their budget for  the leisure time.

• Volunteers have to be open minded and flexible about Mexican culture and food.

TO PARTICIPATE TO A WORKCAMP CLICK HERE

Project: In Longo Mai, a region of Costa Rica, an art school is being created, the objective is to promote among the local youngsters de development of the creativity and the forms of expression promoting new ways  for the cultural development of  Latin America, there is also another initiative to create a university called “Universidad Alternativa del Sur” – Alternative University of the South -. In this frame they are inviting a group of international volunteers to participate in a art project for the community of Finca el Soñador, Longo Mai in Puntarenas Costa Rica.

Work: Volunteers with students and teachers of sculpture will create art sculptures inspired in the pre-Columbian culture, this sculptures will be used to signalize where Longo Mai is located, volunteers will work with local people of the town and they will help in activities such as the creation of the sculptures, participate in workshops to learn how are the sculptures made, recollection of materials to make the sculptures. 

Location: Longo Mai is a zone that was created under the aegis of the Cooperative of European Alliances in 1960 it offers housing to refugees from Central America, and marginated families of the zone it is a very important zone due to the rich natural environment that surrounds it and many of the children that were born there are now teenagers and they do not have alternatives to get a higher education this is why the proposal of the creation of the university was born, to create a school adapted to the local necessities.
Closest airport: International Airport San Juan Santamarina, Costa Rica

Accommodation: Volunteers will stay in a local house of the town and in a Community Center with all facilities at disposal but there are no beds so please bring your sleeping bag and air mat!

Language: The official language of the workcamp is English. Some Spanish would be appreciated.

TO PARTICIPATE TO A WORKCAMP CLICK HERE

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