Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation (CRHF)

Fundacion Humanitaria

Qui sommes-nous

The Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation (CRHF), founded in 1997, is a non-profit organization committed to developing creative and economical solutions to a wide range of social problems in Costa Rica.
The CRHF provides opportunities to exchange friendship, goods, services, and financial resources for critical needs among different cultures, socio-economic classes, and language groups.

Our vision is to create a better quality of life for all those we work with, supporting at-risk and special needs populations so they may have more choices for their future and fostering greater sensitivity in populations providing services.

Based in the rural community of Santa Ana, Costa Rica, the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation (CRHF) works to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable populations in Costa Rica. The Foundation now manages more than fifty volunteer projects throughout the country, focusing on education, community development, primary and preventive health care, and extensive support services for women, at-risk youth and indigenous groups. All needs that the CHRF addresses are defined by the local populations, thus ensuring a high level of commitment to each of our programs.

CRHF volunteers are involved in projects ranging from counseling abused women and children in the greater San Jose area to helping indigenous groups protect their cultural heritage in remote mountain villages. Individual volunteers and volunteer groups from Canada, Europe, and the United States are placed in homestay families and provided with cultural orientation, work support, training and background, and logistical support for their individual needs as they complete projects of their own design.

Community services:
• Finca La Carpio – Village of hope: Our Foundation began volunteering in La Carpio in 1997 with the urging of one of our volunteers. She saw the need for increased education and health care for the children of the community so we organized a series of workshops for women and children at the school. Through the years, we provided a wide variety of services to the children from clothing distribution to toys for Christmas to toothbrush distribution to health workshops. La Libertad: We have constructed an Education and Community Center; Montessori Day Care Center; Bunk Beds and Basic Food Baskets: A Bed for Every Child – program and a bimonthly food distribution campaign; La Carpio Clinic: Our clinic building was later converted into a holistic health center, which provides peer counseling and massage services, complete with aroma therapy and music relaxation. As of 2014 the building downstairs where the clinic was set up, is now used as a library and early age stimulation center for children from the area.
• Family Well Being Center: The Family Well Being Center Forjando Alas attends about 30 children with activities to strengthen their self esteem, academic skills and realization of their special ability to resonate with nature.
• Indigenous Projects: Through CRHF support, these indigenous populations have built schools, visitor centers, and are producing unique crafts that are sold in Costa Rica and internationally.
• La Finca: CRHF is working towards making a completely carbon neutral self sustainable permaculture farm, which will be used as an example for visitors.
• Former Street Kids and Prisoners
• Rural Buildings: In keeping with our goal to create more equitable life styles, we work with small rural communities and their schools to upgrade infrastructure and create stimulating and interesting environments.

Francisco Nystrom is the Assistant Manager of The Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation (CRHF).

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.