Costa Rican Kids
'Disarmed'
Dozens of children in
Costa Rica exchanged
plastic guns and
grenades for T-shirts
and notebooks in a bid
to teach them the
dangers of real weapons.
Water pistols, plastic
swords, knives and
scissors were among the
stash recovered by local
police in Los Guidos,
south of San José.
In return, the children
received T-shirts and
school equipment marked
"Weapons? No, thanks."
The program, set up by
Costa Rican authorities
and supported by the
United Nations
Development Program, was
set to travel to schools
across the country.
Costa Rica's army was
abolished in 1948 but
weapons have since
passed through the
country during Cold
War-era tensions and
civil wars in
neighboring countries,
as well as drug
trafficking operations.
"The project aims to
make study areas free of
weapons and to teach
young people that they
cause irreparable
damage," said police
chief Omar Chavarria.
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