Upskill a Community to Fight Poverty in Costa Rica

Dear Supporter, 

Here in Quepos GVI is working hard to maintain our bi-weekly English clubs, which we started in three local school about 6 months ago. We are also constantly working to improve and refine them as we go along. We began developing policies to combat new problems that were cropping up, worked more closely with the local teachers, and weathered staff changes.

Attendance began lagging in two of the schools we work in.  A stricter policy on absences has helped motivate the students to attend more regularly. The principals of the schools agreed we could make students bring notes to the principal before they could be excused from class.  Volunteers also worked to make the classes more enjoyable for the students. We began bringing snacks every day, giving prizes more frequently and added more games into the curriculum. The students began participating with a renewed sense of excitement.

Additionally, we began working with the local teachers and principals more closely. Using students as translators, a role they were quite proud of, we asked the local teachers questions and created short bios of most of them.  We want future volunteers to feel comfortable interacting with the teachers. We encouraged volunteers and staff members to strike up conversations with teachers they saw around the school to get to know them better. 

Festivals and other non-academic activities were another way of growing more involved with the schools.  A Kite Festival in El Cocal, the most impoverished community we work in, was an impressive demonstration of unity and community spirit.  Everyone enjoyed watching the children play with their kites while we helped set up the festival.  A cultural day in Damas allowed the students to show off their dance moves and put on little skits.  The Jumpstart students were a bit embarrassed when their teachers started cheering for them!

Overall, the English clubs are going very well and we will continue to strive to make progress and address challenges as they come up. 

With Gratitude, 

GVI Quepos

Links:

• The Charitable Trust