Develop Leaders in At-Risk Communities, Costa Rica

Jacinto grew up and lived in an at-risk situation in a dangerous, squatter community, where the norm is to join a gang and drop out of school, where the sound of gunshots is common on the weekends and the smell of burning trash lingers.

And we watched his life transform before our eyes.

 “We were walking through the corridors of the Triángulo de Solidaridad (the community we worked in for 20 years and no longer exists), and found ourselves in front of a nice and clean door. We knocked, and an impeccably dressed lady opened the door for us, she invited us into her living room. We were very impressed that in the midst of a community with so much garbage and disorder, Doña Mercedes lived with such a different mentality.

While we were talking in the living room, the door leading to the rooms opened and a young man named Jacinto appeared. He was 17 years old and was finishing school. He showed up with his messy afro, in flip flops and pajamas. He had a look of disinterest and little hope. That was the beginning of a very beautiful relationship and one filled with many challenges along the way.

Over the years, our friendship grew and he became more and more involved in our programs to the point that when he had finally made it to college, he took charge of the foundation’s scholarship group. Jacinto did an amazing job, seeing others in his community with potential and creating a platform that would support their ongoing education and development of soft skills. During that time he was helping one young woman, Rebecca, with her scholarship and they developed a very special friendship, later evolving to dating and then starting a life together.Jacinto finished college and started working while Rebecca continued her studies. Meanwhile, they continued to live in the community where their example was seen by neighbors and young people in the tight knit environment. Soon they were expecting Margarita, their first baby.

During college, Rebecca got a job at an accounting firm and here she pursued more advanced studies, as she had finished the scholarship program at that point.In a courageous decision, she bought a house that allowed her small family to finally leave the community while Jacinto bought a car and worked for Uber to pay it off. Margarita grew up in a clean and safe home, with not only their basic needs met, but an abundance of love, hope and peace.

As you read this, Rebecca has finished her Bachelor of Business Administration, very successfully, and Margarita is studying at a bilingual institute.”

This is the main reason why El Niño y la Bola exists is to walk in our communities with eyes and hearts open to discover the true needs and support young people to discover their dreams and help them fulfill them.In every corner of the world, there are young people who need love and support to grow and fulfill their dreams. To find them, we walk in the community week after week with a team full of life and love, to meet and find out what their dreams are, desires and challenges, and the most beautiful result is seeing lives, families and cities transformed little by little, one young person at a time.

That's where you step in as a volunteer or donor to become a powerful change agent. We are a few months away from concluding this year 2022 and did not do it alone. There are people who are in the community every day, yes, but there are others who help with donations and support from the place they are at. Giving up is not an option.

We are dedicated to fight for the youth of Costa Rica. When we fight together, lives are transformed. You, dear donors, are a part of transformed lives, impacting our next generation, you are part of the superhero league.As a team in Costa Rica, we are grateful and looking forward to seeing what God will do for the year 2023.

EL PODER DEL CAMBIO ESTA EN TI - THE POWER OF CHANGE IS WITHIN YOU