The Amigos of Costa Rica/CRUSA Foundation and Bertero, Inc. recently signed an agreement in which the purchase of high quality coffee and chocolate products provides support to rural communities throughout Costa Rica.

Bertero, Inc., a 100% Costa Rican company that owns the Terra Verde and Green Trails retail stores at the Juan Santamaria International Airport, reinforced its strong dedication to corporate social responsibility by committing to donate a percentage of the sales of the Trees n’ Leaves branded coffee and chocolate to strengthen our programs in the country. Amigos of Costa Rica and CRUSA supporters can now shop from these stores and, in addition to enjoying the best of Costa Rican flavors, your purchase will help promote community development, education and environmental programs across Costa Rica.

One program that will directly benefit from this partnership is in the area of microcredit and rural entrepreneurship training. In many of the poorest communities, opportunities are rare for hardworking men and women to earn a living – there simply is little credit, financing or support for small businesses entrepreneurs and those who want to invest in their own communities. To address this urgent need, Peace Corps, FINCA, Amigos of Costa Rica and the CRUSA Foundation have partnered to promote sustainable development through the creation of Community Credit Enterprises (CCEs). Our goal is to enhance community ownership, to promote an entrepreneurial spirit and to create self-sustaining business environments.

The other program that will benefit from your purchase is in the area of environmental protection in the Osa Peninsula. Located in Southwestern Costa Rica, this region has been declared by National Geographic as one of the most “biologically intense places on earth”, and has become a favorite eco-tourism destination. Its high levels of biodiversity, coupled with its exceptional combination of distinct tropical ecosystems have made it a crucial global conservation concern. In an effort to support ecological tourism, Amigos of Costa Rica, CRUSA Foundation are partnering with the University of Costa Rica and the Asociación Sendero Osa to create an “Osa Trail” so that tourists can witness its ecological splendor and support local communities while avoiding overly destructive tourism infrastructure.

We appreciate and value Bertero’s patronage and invite you to join us in our objective to equip rural entrepreneurs with the tools and opportunities necessary to prosper within their own community, as well as to support the local communities of the Osa in their environmental protection engagement. In the coming months, new high-impact programs will be developed by Amigos of Costa Rica and CRUSA Foundation. Thanks in great part to this partnership with Bertero, Inc and your commitment to sustainable development in Costa Rica, we are confident that together we can make a difference! Stay tuned!