Support Female Victims of Prostitution in Costa Rica

About the Project:

The project focuses on restoring human rights through a holistic recovery program aimed at re-incorporating people working in prostitution into the labour market and to heal their deeply rooted scars. The project also helps to address the family and social situation by offering support to adult women who have a desire to leave prostitution behind to provide their family a better lifestyle. Most of the women working in the trade are heads of their household and have an average of 3-5 children each. Alongside this, the project offers a support group for high risk girls and teens – some of whom are already involved in commercial sexual exploitation with the purpose of providing in-depth support and counselling.

In 2009, the founder of this program received the ‘Heroine Against Modern-Day Slavery’ award in Washington, D.C., from Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State – an award given in recognition of the people around the world for their commitment and struggle against this organized crime.

Volunteer on a project working for women empowerment in Costa Rica

What to Expect?

There are lots of activities that you can get involved with including helping to teach English (or any other language) to the women and at the day care centre. You can also help to teach arts – painting, drawing, music and dancing or impart any other skills that you may have to share. You can help to organize games and recreational activities for the children and assist the teachers with various tasks. You will also be working with the children in the day care centre helping to play with them and take general good care of them!

There may be the need for you to carry out some light chores in terms of the day to day running of the home and you will also be responsible for providing a warm and caring attention to the homes’ residents. If you are also interested, you can help with construction projects by helping to repair houses, clean, and create mural paintings. You are also encouraged to be creative while you are on your project and please do feel free to bring along any of your own personal skills to work with the women and children of the centre. Some work is exclusively for female volunteers including the organization of games and activities, assisting the teachers in charge of the children and working with the children in the day care centre.