Throughout our trip we will be working with the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation to implement interventions, that we have created, to populations in need of support.  I have been working on a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) Analysis of La Carpio. Performing this SWOT Analysis made it easier to identify strengths and, more importantly, areas in need. This analysis helped us to focus in on our projects and interventions.

 

My SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis of La Carpio is as follows:

Strengths:

  • Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation – non-for profit organization; put in place to work with the community of Costa Rica to provide support and resources, “developing creative and economical solutions to a wide range of social problems” (“La Fundacion Humanitaria Costarricense Inicio Voluntariado en Costa Rica,” 2015).
  • Police presence – have authority to remove children from unsafe homes; similar to our CPS system.
  • Sense of community; everyone looks out for one another; importance of religion; strong work ethic
  • Agricultural – coffee and pineapples bring in a profit

 

Weaknesses:

  • Living in poverty – results in lack of access to resources (poor housing conditions, healthcare, jobs, food, etc.)
  • Lack of education
  • Lack of technology
  • No hospital in La Carpio – closest hospital is an hour walk away (most people do not have their own cars), or 13-minute drive if they’re able to catch a bus
  • Undocumented Nicaraguan Immigrants – not recognized as citizens, this effects their access to jobs and resources
  •  

Opportunities:

  • Volunteer work – to educate and empower women and children; building houses; improving common hangout spots for kids; provide assistance with food, healthcare, resources
  • Creating jobs – would provide a reliable income, resulting in access to healthcare, food, and other vital resources

 

Threats:

  • Health – Close living conditions and lack of sanitation results in an increased risk for the spread of disease
  • Location – surrounded by polluted rivers and landfill; cannot use contaminated water
  • Safety – drug use and violence
  • Isolation – ignored by government as immigrants; lack of information received from public and government; no voice
  • Money – lack of revenue to the area of La Carpio r/t not being a common tourist destination

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 main health concerns of the region:

  1. Domestic violence
  • Trauma Theory (Judith Herman)
  • Project – empower women in La Carpio who have experienced domestic violence. Using art therapy and group discussion.
  • Healthy People 2020 objective related to your project: “Reduce physical violence by current or former intimate partners” (“Injury and Violence Prevention,” 2014).
  1. Violence amongst children
  2. Self-esteem, not drugs

La Fundacion Humanitaria Costarricense Inicio Voluntariado en Costa Rica. (2015). Retrieved    November 1, 2016, from Costa Rican Humanitarion Foundation, http://www.crhf.org/