We’ve said it before, and it is worth repeating- one of the things that genuinely sets Monteverde apart as a destination, is the sense of community which enfolds you the moment you arrive. So what creates that magical feeling of warmth and welcome? The people of course!
This post is dedicated to some of the inspiring members of our community. People who are educating the next generation of leaders, or supporting this generation. People who organize and support programs to support local farmers or craftspeople. And those who welcome and serve our visitors, ensuring that Monteverde’s knowledge and experience in sustainability and protection are shared with the world- so that others can learn from their example.
Meet Carlotta Morales, a Tica who works with Planeterra throughout Central America creating programs to stimulate and support communities. In Monteverde, that support comes in the form of Life Monteverde which was started by three local farming families back in 1990. Their goal was to develop sustainable coffee production and empower local farmers to ensure fair trade prices for their coffee harvest.
Since then it has grown to include a dozen families and dozens of support staff, neighboring families, and seasonal workers. Life Monteverde has expanded to promote agrotourism in the area, as well as providing free tours to local school groups, and subsidized tours for university students.
As ecotourism grows, so does a desire for coffee and farm tours, which not only allows them to bring revenue to the community but also spreads knowledge about sustainable practices and traditional farming methods.
To learn more about Life Monteverde, and their programs, or to donate, click here.
Few people affect more areas within the Monteverde community than Selena, and that is because as the Director Of the Center of Community Initiatives for the Monteverde Institute, she has her very helpful fingers in a lot of different pies.
The Institute is a non-profit organization that was created in 1986 with a focus on teaching three key types of sustainability; social, environmental, and economic. They accomplish this mammoth task through myriad programs that include:
Reforestation,
Health,
Environmental education,
Sustainable economics,
cultural exchange,
citizen science,
sustainable futures,
A library
And much more.
They also organize community events like concerts and they finance all of this through their academic programs. Programs that allow international students to study in Monteverde, so it's sort of like getting paid to provide a valuable resource so you can provide more valuable resources.
To donate to this amazing organization, or learn how you can come and study in paradise, click here.
Freddy is a native of Monteverde and an agricultural technician with extensive expertise in the installation and management of forest nurseries and ornamental plants. He has worked as an assistant technician in reforestation projects, as well as supervised plant nurseries.
Freddy’s concern about the welfare of the community and the environment of the region where he was born led him to help found the Monteverde Community Fund where he has been on the Board of Directors since its inception in 2012.
Their mission is to help local programs and organizations find the necessary funds to do their good deeds and they do so by leveraging grants, collecting donations, and generally performing some form of financial magic. Since 1012 the Fund has managed to raise more than $80,000 to help the community.
As the Executive Director of both the Monteverde Conservation League and the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, Lindsay is a driving force behind the conservation of Monteverde’s all-important rainforests.
Lindsay was kind enough to speak to us about what it takes to maintain the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. You can read the full article here. When I asked her what visitors to Monteverde could do to help, this was her response.
People who visit Costa Rica have the power, in their hands and in their pocketbooks, to support the organizations and causes that are important to them. By visiting a non-profit organization like the BEN, visitors can be sure that 100% of the money they spend is being used to protect and preserve the forest and the species that live there. All income from visitation and donations goes directly back into preserving this incredible forest - through forest patrols, environmental education, research, and other crucial programs. Only a few tourism destinations in Monteverde can say that!
If you would like to make a donation to the park, simply click this link.
Or click here to book a guided tour of this truly amazing place.
Liza is a happy transplant from Pennsylvania, USA who moved to Costa Rica with her Tica wife back in 2021. As the acting Head of School for the Monteverde Friends School, she is guiding future leaders both here and abroad.
When asked about the key to helping a community thrive, she responded, “A community thrives when we teach each new generation to value and respect each and every person and recognize that we accomplish much more working together than any individual ever could alone,” and that statement epitomizes the culture that permeates Costa Rica today.
The Monteverde Friends School was first established in 1951 by the Quaker families who immigrated from the United States and who have had a major impact on the community since. This private Quaker school remains small (on purpose), it is proud to educate 110 students from pre-kindergarten right through to grade 12, as well as provide programs for international students through a number of exchange programs.
The Monteverde Friends School is accredited by the Costa Rican Ministerio de Educación Pública (MEP) and offers the MEP Bachillerato diploma as well as its own independent, college-preparatory diploma. The school strives for its graduates to be bilingual, bi-literate, and fully prepared to enter systems of higher education in Costa Rica and the United States. The school is dedicated to providing education to everyone has led to the implementation of financial aid programs that help over 40% of the enrolled students.
Not only do they guide Monteverde’s youth toward a brighter future, but they have also built a library that is open to the public, staffed by volunteers, and contains both English and Spanish books, many of which have been donated.
To donate to the MFS or help a student through their scholarship programs, click here.
At the brand new Ocotea Hotel, the mother and daughter team Karen and Valeria Fallas have been providing one-on-one, customized service for years. As the owner of Ocotea Tours and Transfers, they are the best at what they do, and their reputation proves it.
When they realized the need for sustainable eco-friendly accommodations in Monteverde, they decided to branch out, creating the Ocotea Boutique Hotel. The hotel was designed to be completely sustainable. Every step of the way, from inception to research and design, they have minimized the hotel's effect on the surrounding environment, because it’s their home… and their future.
By protecting and nurturing their home, they are ensuring that their children and their children’s children can enjoy it for generations to come and that it will support and sustain them in return.
They hope that by building an eco-friendly hotel, they prove that it is possible to provide the finest service and comfort without impacting the environment and that their example inspires others to do the same.
One of Monteverde’s most popular destinations is the CASEM Co-op. It’s a favorite with tourists who wish to support the local artisans and take home some truly beautiful pieces of local craftsmanship (or craftwomanship). The Co-op is run by local women and was developed as a way for them to help support their families while at the same time maintaining traditional skills that have been passed down for generations.
Here you will find handicrafts created using methods dating back centuries, alongside using new techniques to create recycled and upcycle items in sustainable craftwork. In true Costa Rican fashion, these artisans are finding ways to make the most of what is available and at the same time, using their skills to reduce waste. It’s a real win-win-win. Great souvenirs and gifts for us, less waste for the environment, and a source of income for lots of local artisans and their families.
Like Daisy, a widow who supports her 5 children by creating and selling beautiful embroidered jackets and pillowcases, and Leidy who uses macrame and natural elements like shells and stones to produce intricate jewelry.
Gerardina, who embroiders and knits, has also taken up weaving baskets using recycled materials like newspaper and magazines to support her 6 children.
These ladies and the dozens of other women who are members are a perfect example of how important tourism is to the community as a whole and they also allow us to see firsthand how much community members, working together, can accomplish for the good of all.
Not only do the artisans create items to sell, but they also provide emotional support to each other, helping to build self-confidence and skill by teaching new members traditional methods and helping each other devise new ones. The crafts that are sold by the CASEM Co-op support literally hundreds of families, ensuring that future generations grow up healthy and happy. Knowing that makes your purchase so much more fulfilling, doesn’t it?
When you wander the streets of Monteverde, you will also find small studios where the artists greet you at the door and happily explain their process. You’ll find vendors who travel miles every morning to deliver fresh produce grown by their families for generations, and you can even visit some of the farms and take part in the harvest (at certain times of the year of course).
Truly one of the most compelling parts of life in a place like Monteverde is being able to truly impact a community, both supporting and getting to know the people who have made your stay possible. Connecting with the people who are growing your food, making your meals, and carving your purchase… brings home the importance of your visit, and it draws you into their lives because you impact those lives in a very direct way.
Putting your money directly into the hands of the person who created the product is much more conducive to a thriving economy than passing it to a big corporation that then trickles the profits down so that the people who need it the most end up with the least.
To learn more about some of the amazing indigenous art of Costa Rica, click here!
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I would have to agree, but who is that keeps that village running smoothly, and makes sure that everyone in it has the resources they need to thrive?
In the case of Monteverde, the list would be long and distinguished, because these are just a few pieces of the puzzle. Perhaps it is because when you grow up with role models like these, it’s natural for residents to take part in community programs, learn the skills necessary to be sustainable and supportive, and then take up the torch when they get old enough.
Whatever the reason, it is easy to see why visitors to Monteverde can feel that special warm and welcoming atmosphere the moment they arrive. Monteverde’s heart is its people and those people work together every day to ensure that their home thrives, and grows, and to share it with the world.
The world has gone global, and it can be hard sometimes to determine where and when your dollars make the most impact. But we can all make a conscious effort to make a difference whenever and wherever we can, and one by one we can make our world a better place.
We hope you will come and see for yourself what happens when a community works together for the good of all, and we would be happy to help in any way we can, from accommodations to tours to directions to the area’s hidden gems. Just head to our website to learn more.