“Angels” give the gift of light to southern zone’s indigenous

(Oscar Sojo for Inside Costa Rica)

By Carol Vaughn, ICR Community Reporter

October 31st, 2014 (InsideCostaRica.com) It is estimated that southern Costa Rica alone has 20,000 people living without electric light.

If you live in the tropics without electricity, your day ends early. Your options to have light at night to study, or cook, or go to the latrine are limited to candles (dim), flashlights (expensive), or kerosene lamps (expensive and toxic).

In 1995 Costa Rica established a Department of Indigenous Education, which opened up many educational opportunities for the indigenous population. Schools in indigenous territories increased, student attendance grew, and painfully, so did lighting costs for families with school age children.

Most indigenous in southern Costa Rica are subsistence farmers. They typically purchase only three goods: salt, soap, and kerosene or candles. The latter is a major portion of the family budget, one which limits the budget for purchase of foodstuffs.

And here is where two anonymous solar angels light up the jungle with their generosity. Their names are Toni and Bart. They are Europeans. They have spent numerous years living in and enjoying Costa Rica, but they wish to remain anonymous.

Toni and Bart donated 5,000 solar powered lights to the indigenous population of the southern zone, which has had a life-altering impact on that region and its residents. La Casona, Alta Talamanca, Baja Talamanca, Bajo Chirripo, Alto Chirripo – all these areas now have children happily waking up before daybreak to bathe and get ready for school, and walking in the dark to arrive at school on time – each student with their own individual d.light model S2 solar lamp.

In 2010 the British Museum showcased “A History of the World in 100 Objects”, curated by Neil MacGregor. The hundredth object was – drum roll, please – solar powered lights. MacGregor said, “Our hundredth object gives to people all over the world – who have until now been off-grid, that is, without access to any mains electricity supply – a quite new level of control over their environment.” And that new control over their community and health is exactly what these angels, Toni and Bart, have gifted to the indigenous people of southern Costa Rica.

Naturally, these lamps did not just pop up and tumble into tiny indigenous hands by themselves. In fact, it was a logistical nightmare to acquire Hong Kong manufactured d.light S2’s, and deliver them to 5,000 needy children in the southern zone. For that, we thank the nonprofit foundation Fundeico, whose heroic efforts to obtain and distribute the 5,000 lanterns was nothing short of heroic.

The Founder and President of Fundeico is a man by the name of Carlos Chaverri, a Tico who has been awarded the “Pluma Blanca” by an Indian cacique for his 26 years of helping the indigenous population. Between July 1 and September 1, 2014, Chaverri and his compadres Carmen and Jorge Ordonez managed to deliver all 5,000 lamps to the needy school kids of the south, in a tsunami of goodness called “Proyecto 5,000 Lamparas”.

Sadly, this generous gift by Toni and Bart has barely lit a match for the 20,000 people living in darkness in southern Costa Rica. So the project continues, with others being invited to keep the momentum of lighting the darkness in the south, and continue their aspiration of making clean, affordable power available to the most remote communities, through the natural power of the sun.

Here’s how you can help:

Fundacion Para el Desarollo Ambiental, Cultural, y Social de las Etnias Indigenas Costarricenses (Fundeico) Tel. 2249-0351 and 8308-3146

Carlos Chaverri email: [email protected]

Carmen and Jorge Ordonez 2267-8262

https://www.facebook.com/public/fundeico-costa-rica

Carol Vaughn

Carol Vaughn is an Inside Costa Rica Community Reporter covering Perez Zeledon.

Carol Vaughn holds a Master’s Degree in Performing Arts and is retired from a career as a tap dancer and teacher. She moved to Costa Rica two years ago from Washington, DC, and settled into a cabin on the banks of the Quebradas River in Perez Zeledon.

She also blogs for AngloINFO and is a volunteer Warden for the US Embassy for Perez Zeledon, helping out fellow Americans in emergencies.