Background

Historically, women in Costa Rica tend to occupy low wage and/or part-time positions in sectors like hospitality and tourism which are vulnerable to fluctuations outside their control. Pregnancy and childcare are factors in whether women can work at all. Lack of education in rural areas leads to a cycle of early pregnancy, low wage-earning, substance abuse problems, and lack of role models that would encourage young women by offering a more rewarding and fulfilling alternative. These cycles create other problems as well.

According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence from a partner in their lifetime. One of the leading causes of domestic violence upsurges is economic instability. In developing countries where personal finances are precarious, the cultural attitudes devaluing equal employment opportunities and subordinating the status of women reinforces the probability of women experiencing violence in their own homes.

This violence has far-reaching societal burdens. It can cause mental health issues in its victims, less economic productivity due to isolation, stress and inability to participate in wage-earning activities. It creates generations of communities that repeat these cycles of violence.

Most importantly it damages one´s ability to live a life of dignity, purpose and meaning.

We started PROVIDE & CONQUER to address these issues.

We believe that by providing women with access to education, mentors, training and funding we can end these cycles. Through education, we encourage capability and confidence. Mentorship not only offers valuable insights based on experience, but also positive role models to challenge the status quo. With training and funding, we provide the foundations for successful entrepreneurship. Most importantly, however, we create a paradigm of collaboration and open exchange of ideas and unique perspectives that allows us to learn from each other and grow as women and human beings.

Help us to:

Provide access for women in the community to learn and progress through new skills and work training.

Provide safe spaces for discourse that challenge damaging cultural norms. Promoting ideals of respect, high self-esteem, dignity, and the significant and relevant contribution that women have to offer.

Provide the tools women need to become independent and self confident. The tools to go out in the world and make a living with their work.