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Boruca Children’s Fund Christmas Raffle & Donations

Boruca Children’s Fund Christmas Raffle & Donations

Our article about a trip to Boruca showcased the Boruca peoples’ history, arts & crafts, and current living arrangements in small mountain towns of southern Costa Rica. As we share in the rich traditions of the first inhabitants of the area we must acknowledge that many Boruca people, living a life of subsidence farming in remote hard-to-reach areas, do not have the same means & opportunities as most of us. 87% of the local residents there live below the poverty line, and as hard-working and dedicated as they are, the parents do not always have the ability to provide their children with some basic necessities of life and education, never mind extra gifts and little surprises.

A road leading up to the mountain Boruca villages.
A road leading up to the mountain Boruca villages.
The Boruca people live in beautiful but sometimes isolated, remote and hard-to-reach areas of Costa Rica. The photo was taken on the way to the Boruca village.
The Boruca people live in beautiful but sometimes isolated, remote and hard-to-reach areas of Costa Rica. The photo was taken on the way to the Boruca village.

The Boruca Children’s Fund is, once again, hoping to improve the lives of the Boruca people and brings some Christmas cheer that everyone deserves. They are aiming, with your help, to provide children with the following this Christmas 2024 season:

  • 1. Christmas Joy: a Christmas gift from Santa.
  • 2. School Necessities: Backpacks, crayons, geometry sets etc.
  • 3. Life Necessities: Sturdy shoes, clothing, a toothbrush & toothpaste.
  • 4. Food Packages: For most in-need families, a weeks’ worth of quality food.

Below we take a quick look at each of the above four aims:

1. CHRISTMAS JOY

Every child in the Boruca villages has heard of Santa Clause and they know that Santa has a ‘naughty or nice’ list. As they eagerly await their present, it would be heartbreaking for any child to think they have been naughty just because their family could not afford to purchase a Christmas gift. The Fund’s aim is to ensure 598 children celebrate Christmas 2024 with a small gift which will bring joy and remind them that they have been very good! A small toy, sporting equipment, a game, or a craft activity kit can make a world of difference in the life of a child.

Previous Christmas Joy. Photos by Claudia Langguth.
Previous Christmas Joy. Photos by Claudia Langguth.
Christmas Joy in preparation - these toys will bring untold happiness to the local children.
Christmas Joy in preparation – these toys will bring untold happiness to the local children. The Boruca Children’s Fund aims to bring Christmas cheer to 598 local kids this holiday season.

2. SCHOOL NECESSITIES

In Costa Rica, the school terms starts in February. While schools are located in or close to even the smallest of villages, it is up to the students’ families to supply the necessary school supplies – if a child’s family cannot afford the basics, the child may be excluded from attending classes. The Boruca Children’s Fund aims to supply the basics to students attending pre-school to 6th Grade.

Children with their gifts or much-needed school supplies. Photos by Claudia Langguth.
Children with their gifts of much-needed school supplies. Photos by Claudia Langguth.

Last year’s drive allowed 259 children to receive the basic school materials so they would not be excluded from education. The types of material required for young students:

3. LIFE NECESSITIES

The Boruca people walk everywhere, sometimes very long distances. And this includes children as well – so a sturdy pair of shoes can make a difference between going to school and staying home. Same is true for adequate clothing, especially when the wind, rain and cold blow through the mountain villages. And a toothbrush & toothpaste will ensure their little teeth stay healthy.

The Fund’s aim is to provide 598 children with a package which contains the life necessities PLUS the small Christmas Joy gift. The types of Life Necessities we require are:

4. FOOD PACKAGES

The food staples will be distributed to most needing families. Last year 50 such food packages were provided while this year the Fund hopes to bring this number up to 75 Food Packages. The fund also put together smaller ‘treat bags’ with apples, grapes, candy and a sticker – last year, 150 Treat Bags were distributed to the happy children, and they plan to continue this tradition in 2024.

Food packages of staples such as rice, milk and cooking oil.
Food packages of staples such as rice, milk and cooking oil.

35 DAYS OF JOY RAFFLE IN SUPPORT OF THE BORUCA COMMUNITY

This raffle campaign is the key to ensuring that children in Boruca communities receive Christmas presents, school supplies, necessities like clothing & toothpaste, and nutritious food. Tickets can be purchased online or (soon) in-person with daily 6.00 pm draws. All tickets remain in play so you have a chance to win every day until your ticket is chosen or the raffle comes to a close on December 14. There are some amazing prizes – including the GRANDE PRIZE, a 55 inch Smart TV donated by RE/MAX WE SELL PARADISE.

 

Winners are announced on the Boruca Children’s Fund Facebook page – here. To buy raffle tickets, message Cami via the fund’s Facebook page, or message her on WhatsApp – +506 8986 5210.

RE/MAX We Sell Paradise team has graciously donated the Grande Prize - a 55 inch Smart TV.
RE/MAX We Sell Paradise team has graciously donated the Grande Prize – a 55 inch Smart TV.

CHRISTMAS 2024 DRIVE

Boruca’s Children’s Fund has details of individual families and their needs – by contacting them (contact details below), people can receive details of individual families and their wish list requirements – such as sizes and gender & age of the children. So in addition to donating money, there is an option to purchase a specific gift or necessity for the very family that is in need!

CONTACT DETAILS AND FURTHER INFORMATION

To learn more about the Boruca people and their culture, click here to visit the official Boruca people website.

To contact the Boruca Children’s Fund:

DONATIONS

Please consider donating to the Boruca Children’s Fund. The people running this drive are all volunteers and have no administrative costs. 100% of donated funds will be spent buying Christmas presents, school supplies and food for Boruca families. THANK YOU!

Strategizing - this is a restaurant attached to the local museum in Boruca village.
Boruca Children’s Fund engaging with the local community – there is a lot of planning and strategizing required! This is a restaurant attached to the local museum in Boruca village.

Cash donations will be gratefully accepted to purchase Christmas gifts, school supplies, life necessities & food, or you can choose to sponsor a child or a family directly by shopping for a specific list of items.

MONEY DONATIONS:

  • Donations via ZELLE – use this email: throwlikeagirlmovie@yahoo.com
  • Donations via SINPE – use this number: +506 8986 5210 (for Costa Rican residents).
  • Donations via VENMO – follow this link.
  • Donations via CASH – please drop off the cash donation, between Monday and Friday, at the Los Laureles Restaurant in Uvita – location link can be accessed here.

ITEM DONATIONS:

  • To shop for specific items for a Boruca family or  Boruca children, please contact the Boruca Children’s Fund for gender, ages and sizes of the kids as well as other needs such as clothing. The items can then be dropped off, between Monday and Friday, at the Los Laureles Restaurant in Uvita – location link can be accessed here.
  • Kindly bring any gently-used, adult-sized clothing you’d like to donate for the “free thrift store” part of the adults Christmas party to the Los Laureles Restaurant in Uvita between Monday and Friday.
The Boruca Children's Fund happily converting money donations into much needed food staples, clothing, school supplies, and Christmas Joy gifts for hundreds of children in the Boruca villages.
The Boruca Children’s Fund happily converting money donations into much needed food staples, clothing, school supplies, and Christmas Joy gifts for hundreds of children in the Boruca villages.

BORUCA KIDS CHRISTMAS PARTY FUNDRAISER!

With the help of local Uvita restaurant, Los Laureles Restaurant, the Boruca Children’s Fund is holding a fundraiser like no other – you get to make your very own BORUCA MASK! All materials will be provided for you to bring to life a very special and meaningful piece of culture and art. The masks will be between 16-18 cm tall. The event takes place on Saturday December 07 at 5pm, the cost is a cash donation of $50 or 25,000 Colones. For more information, follow this link.

Boruca masks ready for the artistic touch of local Costa Ballena residents, in support of the children living in the Boruca villages.
Boruca masks ready for the artistic touch of local Costa Ballena residents, in support of the children living in the Boruca villages.
Make your own special, unique and meaningful BORUCA mask - all the while helping Boruca children celebrate a joyful Christmas!
Make your own special, unique and meaningful BORUCA MASK – all the while helping Boruca children celebrate a joyful Christmas!

ABOUT THE BORUCA CHILDREN’S FUND

The Fund’s beginning go back over 22 years – the effort to aid and empower the Boruca people was built over that time by Claudia Langguth who sadly passed away on October 4, 2023. With no one to take over the effort, Cami stepped up and in a short few chaotic weeks managed to seamlessly organize the 2023 Christmas support for the Boruca people. Her heartfelt video, in which she explains the circumstances of her role and gives a background to the efforts of the fund, can be watched here.

Claudia Langguth, who started the Boruca Children's Fund 22 years ago, looking over the pre-Colombian stone sphere at a museum in Boruca village.
Claudia Langguth, who started the Boruca Children’s Fund 22 years ago, looking over the pre-Colombian stone sphere at a museum in Boruca village.

PHOTOS FROM AROUND THE BORUCA VILLAGE

An artesian market in Boruca where masks, carvings, and hand-woven textiles are sold. In other locations you can also buy local coffee beans, various locally grown foods, drums, and other crafted items.
An artesian market in Boruca where masks, carvings, and hand-woven textiles are sold. In other locations you can also buy local coffee beans, various locally grown foods, drums, hand-woven textiles, and other crafted items.
Masks come in many motifs, colours and sizes.
Masks come in many motifs, colours and sizes.
The beautiful hand-carved and hand-painted masks.
The brilliant and mesmerizing hand-carved and hand-painted masks.
Beautiful artwork livens up every corner of Boruca.
Beautiful artwork livens up every corner of Boruca.
A museum in the Boruca village. You can just make out an original stone sphere visible inside the thatched museum building.
A museum in the Boruca village. You can just make out an original stone sphere visible inside the thatched museum building.

THANK YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Communities coming together is something that happens often in our area – whether an organized beach cleanup, an effort to remove a fallen tree or rebuild a washed away bridge, a neighborhood fair or celebration, or a charity drive to help families during the Christmas time, local residents, visitors and expats are always ready to come out and lend helping hand. Would you fit right in here? We think so! While you browse the local properties available in our area, know that RE/MAX WE SELL PARADISE is your trusted partner in the South Pacific corner of Costa Rica. 

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