Pura Vida Fighting for Kids Foundation is based on the need to reach out children at social risk in Jacó, Costa Rica. The accelerated growth of this tourist area has generated urban gaps invaded by drug addiction, prostitution, and crime. Therefore, the Foundation has taken the problem very seriously and decided to work to solve it through the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
If you would like to donate by wire transfer or donate stock, please email admin@amigosofcostarica.org to receive the indicated account information. We will also confirm which project you would like to support with your donation and how you would like to receive your receipt.
Amigos of Costa Rica charges a 3% fee on donations. If you would like to cover the fees associated with your donation, please include an additional 3%.
Please make payable to Amigos of Costa Rica and mail to:
Amigos of Costa Rica
P. O. Box 748
West Chester, PA 19381
Amigos of Costa Rica charges a 3% fee on donations. If you would like to cover the fees associated with your donation, please include an additional 3%.
Don't forget to tell us what you'd like your donation to support! Please indicate the organization & project name on the memo line, or include with your check. Checks received without a designation will be used to support Amigos of Costa Rica operating costs. Receipts will be mailed to the address on the check unless you request a digital receipt.
Let us know your check is on the way!
To let us know you're mailing a check, please fill in this form to help your payment reach the intended organization & project.
Amigos of Costa Rica accepts payments via Zelle to the email address: emily@amigosofcostarica.org
Let us know about your Zelle payment!
Please fill in our form to help your payment reach the intended organization & project. So that we may provide you with a receipt, please include your email and mailing address below.
Amigos of Costa Rica accepts donations via Crypto, read more. Please be sure to add the organization name to the donation notes section.
Pura Vida Fighting for Kids Foundation is based on the need to reach out children at social risk in Jacó, Costa Rica. The accelerated growth of this tourist area has generated urban gaps invaded by drug addiction, prostitution, and crime.
Therefore, the Foundation has taken the problem very seriously and decided to work to solve it. Through the sport practiced by its founder, Leonidas Ruaro, the discipline, and education of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is being taught as main tools so that these children can fight with their direct environment.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu has served as a fundamental tool to rescue children and adults. Called human chess, it is a sport that is shared worldwide, being the fastest growing sport in the last decade. Based on studies, it has been possible to understand the importance of implementing this sport from an early age in 5 aspects:
Confidence and self-defense
The security generated by sport to know how to defend itself generates direct consequence confidence to avoid many conflicts in an anticipated manner. And incase it cannot be avoided, these problems are solved with a lot of calm and wisdom.
Respect and discipline
The type of competition both group and individual well taught by their teacher, become very important as these two characteristics are key to escalate in the sport.
Socialization
This point is very important. The human being is a being from social circles and what better way to develop a healthy circle where everyone shares respect, health, and discipline.
Physical Condition
As many times we have heard or read: “healthy body: healthy mind”. This is not the exception.
Fun
In life we must do what we like and try to smile as much as possible. Children have found in human chess a way to play, smile and enjoy themselves.
When it comes going the extra mile, Jiu Jitsu does it. It’s well known that sport helps people’s health, but in this sport we find an activity that challenges our feelings and strengthens us emotionally, physically and mentally. It teaches us to fall and rise. It also gives us a great lesson in humility that definitively changes our lives. It’s a sport that promote social integration.
Size doesn’t matter.
There is NO situation in life so small that cannot harm us or so great that we cannot overcome it. This principle is applied in the same way within matts. Jiujitsu generates a state of mental strength that helps anyone to walk through life.
Advance
At the time of a Jiu Jitsu fight, a determined mindset that looks forward and attacks increases the chances of winning against a weak-minded opponent. We also apply these principles in life, moving forward and facing our goals is key to both personal and professional success.
Give and take
This sport has been characterized in recent years by generating social groups considered almost families. It is normal to be received with kindness in schools worldwide, always ready to share and learn. However, if someone has a bad attitude, they will surely be received in that way.
This year we began to implement a new teaching methodology that, in addition to the technical part, the idea is to take a little of what our boys and girls learn in Jiu Jitsu to their homes and consequently to their lives.
The methodology is based on moral, ethical, educational and sports values, using the "colorful grades" on their ribbons as symbols of each of the values that we are developing. Each student can choose these grades if they meet the requirements of their homework and their ethical, moral and sports performance in class, each time a cycle is completed, they opt for a technical degree (white in the black tip) which in turn gives them one more step towards their next belt.
We promote hard work, dedication, discipline, and perseverance from a very young age, so that they have a comprehensive development both in sports and in social matters.
Judo
Judo is a modern Japanese martial art, a system of unarmed combat, and now primarily a sport. Judo is not only a training of body and mind, but also a way of human formation.
Chess
The game of chess: Chess is a strategic-logic game between 2 players, just as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. We use chess as a tool to develop strategic thinking, creativity, planning, memory skills.
Yoga
Among other benefits, Yoga develops children’s strength and flexibility. It helps strengthen children’s growing bodies and helps them improve their flexibility, which can reduce their chance of injury.
