Situated in the Central American Isthmus, Costa Rica is a land rich in natural beauty including tropical rainforest, volcanoes and lakes. It shares borders with Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Thanks to caring people like you, Children Incorporated has helped thousands of children living in poverty in Costa Rica since 1964.
Despite its status as one of the most stable, prosperous and progressive nations in Latin America — and one of the most ecofriendly in the world — Costa Rica struggles beneath a threatened economy and low paying jobs. Profound poverty affects many residents, with roughly 10% of Costa Ricans struggling to make ends meet while trying to survive on only USD 1.25 a day. Poverty in Costa Rica is especially prevalent in rural areas and in certain parts of the country’s capital, San José.
Challenges for Children in Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, children’s very lives and futures are at risk, as poverty leads to lack of educational and basic resources. Right now, children living in poverty in Costa Rica need your help.
- 1 in 3 children under the age of 18 lives in poverty
- The COVID-19 pandemic led to a considerable decrease in the average family income
- The school net attendance rate for children in Costa Rica is only 44%
- Since 2020, 30% of households in Costa Rica have reduced their food portions
to accommodate for loss of wages
Our Work in Costa Rica
Thanks to caring people like you, Children Incorporated has helped thousands of children living in poverty in Costa Rica since 1964.
We work with our volunteer coordinators in local communities to provide health and nutrition, education, hygiene items, clothes, shoes, and other essentials that help children and families rise above the poverty in which they live.
Our strategy is to focus on individual children through our sponsorship program, ensuring they are receiving exactly what they need on a regular basis.
Your support makes all our work possible for Costa Rican children in crisis.
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How do I sponsor a child in Costa Rica?
You can sponsor a child in Costa Rica in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Costa Rica that is available for sponsorship.
Sources:
https://ticotimes.net/2015/10/29/costa-rica-poverty-hits-young-people-hardest-says-new-survey
https://ticotimes.net/2021/09/09/one-in-three-minors-in-costa-rica-lives-in-poverty-unicef-says
https://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/where-we-help/americas/costa-rica
https://theviolenceofdevelopment.com/one-in-three-children-in-costa-rica-live-in-poverty-unicef/
https://www.unicef.org/media/100591/file/Costa-Rica-2020-COAR.pdf