Costa Rican authorities this week relaunched a campaign to support businesses and provide meals to tourism employees who lost their jobs during the pandemic.
The “Reactivemos la Esperanza” (Let’s reactivate hope) campaign targets tourism employees in Guanacaste, the province the Tourism Board says has been most affected by the drop in visitors that has resulted from the pandemic.
The program’s goal is to donate 200,000 meals during the next three months. Reactivemos la Esperanza has already donated nearly 100,000 dishes in a previous campaign.
“This initiative invites us to help each other, between Costa Ricans,” said Gustavo Segura, Tourism Minister.
Unemployed workers who qualify for the program will use a QR code to receive free meals at local sodas (restaurants). The campaign will use contributions to refund the restaurants for the meals provided.
In this way, says project leader Jose Aguilar, the campaign also helps to support restaurants, which have been among the hardest-hit businesses during the pandemic.
Beneficiaries of the donated meals also commit to working at community-improvement projects.
“I am sure that the DNA of the Costa Ricans … will allow us to meet the goal and accompany our brothers in tourism who are going through a real nightmare of uncertainty and anguish, with which we will come out strengthened into the future,” Aguilar said.
Reactivemos la Esperanza counts with support from the Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), the Tourism Board, the Tourism Chamber, the Guanacaste Tourism Chamber, the National Emergency Commission and others.
The campaign accepts donations in several forms:
- Via Sinpe Móvil: 8808-2344 (Fundación Acción Joven)
- Via the “Yo me uno” platform:
Fundación Acción Joven – Reactivemos la Esperanza
Cédula Jurídica: 3-006-399354 - From BAC Credomatic:
Account in colones: 944756287
Account in dollars: 944756279 - From other banks:
IBAN colones: CR43010200009447562874
IBAN dollars: CR53010200009447562791
For more information, visit the campaign website at reactivar.cr.
