Expedition 13A: Our Incredible Community and Environmental Projects

Over the coming weeks we will be discussing in detail all of the projects Raleigh Costa Rica and Nicaragua will be undertaking during expedition 13A; with information on why those specific projects are chosen and what we are hoping the outcomes will be. However for now we thought you would like to see a quick overview of everything we are doing and who from our incredible team of Project Managers have been allocated to which projects. 

Environmental Projects

Raleigh environmental projects aim to fulfil the UN Millenium Development Goal 7a; reducing loss of biodiversity. Hoping to ensure environmental sustainability through education of local society, protection and preserving natural habitats and resources and also important species of plants and animals.

Alpha 4: Carara National Park, Costa Rica

Holly, Marisa, Lou and Emma

Objectives: Maintaining and creating new trails in the park, increasing tourist numbers and ensuring income for the park and local economy.

Project Managers: Louise, Emma, Marisa and Holly

Project Partners: SINAC

Summary: Literally translated Carara means 'the park of the crocodiles', a beautiful National Park in the South of Costa Rica teaming with diverse species of animals. At the moment the park is suffering from illegal logging and also issues with their trails which flood easily. Raleigh will be helping to create a new trail in a less likely to flood area to try and increase tourist numbers. This increased income will mean more money to fund rangers which will hinder the illegal logging, ensure maintenance of the area and benefit protection of this incredible area for future generations.

Alpha 5: RNVS San Lucas Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica

Sally, Paul, Kate and Claire

Objectives: Environemental Protection Project - creating new trail, development of visitor centre.

Project Managers: Sally, Paul and Kate

Project Partners: SINAC

Summary: Once a prison, this island is now a wildlife refuge. High in biodiversity, the island suffers from poachers who arrive on a beach which at the moment is inaccessible for Rangers. Raleigh will be creating a trail which traverses the island, between two beaches, ensuring the rangers have easier access in order to patrol the refuge. Similar to Carara the project encompasses helping to develop visitor facilities, tourist monies ensure rangers income and maintenance of the parks.

Alpha 6: Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica

Zoe and Clive

Objectives: Environmental Sustainability Project - working alongside park rangers to maintain park infrastructure

Project Managers: Dr.Zoe and Clive

Summary: Cabo Blanco was set up in order to protect an area of rainforest which was under threat from illegal logging. This area of biodiversity has countless species of animals along it's stunning beaches and within the rainforest. Raleigh will be maintaining the trail network, painting parts of the ranger station and removing unwanted waste from beaches.

Community Projects
Basic Human Rights of education, access to safe clean water sources and disaster relief. 

Alpha 7: Matapalo/ Monte Frio, Achuapa, Nicaragua

Lena and Antonio

Objectives: UN Millenium Development Goal to improve the health of the community through education in water sanitation and installation of a gravity water feed.

Project Managers: Antonio and Dr.Lena

Project Partner: Multi-stakeholder partnership with the local community, Cooperativa Juan Francisco Paz Silva and Raleigh

Summary: Installing a gravity water feed to deliver clean and safe running water to 40 families close to the town of Achuapa, this area is one of the poorest and most remote areas of Nicaragua. Currently the local community use water from the local river which often dries up in the summer and comes from polluted water sources. 21% of the Nicaraguan population do not have access to a safe water source.

Alpha 8: Siares, San Ramon, Nicaragua

Denise, Dav and Marie

Objectives: UN Millenium Development Goal 2: Universal Primary Education, Alpha 8 will be building a pre-school, installing two latrines and a water standpipe.

Project Managers: Dr.Dav, Denise and Marie

Project Partners: A new Raleigh partner UCA San Ramon, an association of small coffee farming cooperatives and families living within the San Ramon area.

Summary: Recent statistics show that 22% of the population in Nicaragua are illiterate. These problems are most felt in rural areas such as San Ramon where half of the population in Nicaragua live. In Siares there is a primary school however the younger pre-school children are educated in the same room as the elder children, a lot of disruption occurs and parents have removed their children entirely due to this. Improved education facilities and the creation of a pre-school will hopefully help achieve universal education in this area.  Participation by the local community is integral and the team will be working on achieving this helping everyone to achieve the basic human right of education and the right to play for the area of Siares. 

Alpha 9: Conte Burika - La Carona

Helena, Shane and Katharine

Objectives: Health Improvement Project, building a health post. This project hopes to improve the overall health of the community in treating conditions from respiratory issues to malnutrition.

Project Managers: Dr.Katharine, Shane and Helena

Project Partners: Conte Burika Community

Summary: Situated in the remote Burika Peninsula, this much needed medical centre will be built in Alto Rio Claro in Conte Burika Indigenous Territory. The Ngobe (or Guaymi) Indigenous people who live there currently, are subsistence farmers who maintain the cultural traditions of their ancestors and the project aims to improve the health of the community. Currently, visiting doctors (who walk 5 hours along a beach to reach the community) provide medical care for the local people at impromptu clinics based in the local school or community centre which makes providing adequate care very difficult. 

Alpha 10: La Arenilla, Miraflor, Nicaragua

Angie, Victoria and Sacha

Objectives: creating sustainable housing using natural materials which ensures the local community can repair their properties themselves.

Project Managers: Sacha, Angie and Victoria

Project Partners: El Foro Miraflor - agricultural cooperatives whose members farm on the Miraflor Nature Reserve.

Summary: The Miraflor Reserve is 206sqkms of beautiful mountainous terrain with various different ecosystems such as tropical savannah, dry tropical forest and mountain cloud forest. This project will be undertaking building of sustainable housing, using natural materials local to the area and in partnership with the local community builders. 

We've got a cunning plan...

So, the PPVers have returned from their projects! The last couple of days have entailed groups of weary-and-smelly-but-happy groups bursting through to the door greeted by big hugs, then spilling their stories of meeting rangers, jumping off piers and planning jungle camps. Thousands of miles have been covered between the groups and we’re all getting excited about getting stuck in once the Venturers arrive.

Here’s a rundown of the Alpha group Project Planning Visits (Delta to follow!)

Alpha 1 PMs took a practice walk of days 4 to 6 of the Coast to Coast Trek, starting at El Barbilla National Park in Costa Rica,walking through the jungle into a beautiful valley where they stayed with the indigenous community there, eating an amazing local breakfast of rice and beans while watching the sun rise. Jealous, moi? They then drove through days 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the route, finishing around the Tepanti area, visiting Pejibaye. A mere snippet of what will be an amazing trek, taking everyone who walks it on an amazing physical and emotional journey they'll remember forever.

Coast to Coast sunrise

Alpha 2 took a bus up to Nicaragua to walk the end of the Miratombo trek, and straight away started hiking up to the top of Volcan Cerro, a new and unique volcano that is made of black sand. They then went onto Volcan El Hoyo, part of The Hole, a huge natural sink hole made up of several volcanic structures – and then finished off by heading towards Cerra Asososca and down to the Laguna, which is the end point of the trek. A trek full of ups and downs , quite literally, and the group will be staying with various indigenous families and in community centres with a bit of glamping thrown in for good measure!

Alpha 3 (i.e. we!) went to Volcan Tenorio National Park and were completely wowed by the stunning Rio Celeste waterfall and turquoise waters – jaw-droppingly beautiful. After playing football with the rangers and site workers on Day 1 (in hiking boots!), we started the next day on the work site, planning the work for the Venturers to do – carrying materials, restoring tourist trails, building the staircase to the waterfall and perhaps helping to create a rockery garden by the ranger station.  We also planned out where we would set up Jungle Camp - a basha village 1.5km from the waterfall which the Venturers will build when they arrive. Mucho exciting, and the rangers and workers were fantastic, so we're really looking forward to working there!

Cascada de Rio Celeste

Kickabout with the rangers

Alpha 4 took a 2 hour bus followed by speedboat to stunning San Lucas island and the new National Wildlife Refuge – transformed from an old converted Alcatraz-style prison into a diverse eco paradise.  They planned out the work they and the Venturers will be doing - working on the paths and welcome area to make them more accessible and attractive to tourists, thus generating much-needed income to keep the park alive and free from poachers. They also met some new friends in the form of noisy howler monkeys and brightly coloured crabs, but luckily they didn’t meet the local sting-rays when they leapt off the pier into the sea!

San Lucas Island

Sonal and Lottie making plans...

Alpha 5 headed on a short journey (!) to the north of Nicaragua to a tiny remote area called Achuapa – one of the poorest areas in Nica that was devastated by Hurricane Mitch 13 years ago.  After a 7km uphill trek, they found the village and scoped out the project which is to build a gravity water feed system, providing clean safe water to 66 families in the area – fulfilling one of the key UN Millenium Development Goals. They also visited the Co-operative La Paz Silva and met the secretary to discuss how they would work together on the project. Some amazing coffee and amazing views over the valley softened the 7km trek back again!

Alpha 6 went on an equally short journey to Las Lagunetas in Nicaragua – and as soon as they arrived (after around 13 hours on the road!) they met Edwin and Sylvia from U.C.A. Miraflor, the project partners. Sylvia heralds from the community benefitting from the project, which is to build a brand new pre-school, so it’s very close to home for her – in fact the PMs stayed with Sylvia’s mum so it got even closer! The Venturers will be doing similar home stays, and have ‘chickens dropping from trees onto the tin roof’ to look forward to as an alarm to wake them up at 5pm (apparently!).  After sorting out materials, working hours and visiting the school to a warm welcome, they started the long journey home.

The groups are just choosing their best pics, so more to come!

We can’t wait for the Venturers to get here so we can get cracking...a few more days of training and cleaning before the big arrival day. Good luck guys with your final preparations – y hasta pronto!

Alpha Summary

So all the groups are back at base, and are preparing for round two in their X-ray assemblies. In a final, farewell salute to our glorious Alphas, here’s a summary of their achievements in phase one.

Alpha 1 tackled the Turrisantos trek in central Costa Rica, and celebrated the culmination of their efforts at Playa Hermosa.

Alpha 2 conquered the Corcovado trek in the South of Costa Rica, absorbing their stunning surrounds in La Amistad and Corcovado National Parks.

Alpha 3 in Carara National Park, in an effort of heroic proportions, put pedal to the metal in order to complete a kilometre and a half circular pathway on their final day.

Alpha 4 completed the staircase at the bottom of their trail in La Amistad, alongside general maintenance work. An X-ray group will be following up their work here.

If Alpha 3’s efforts were heroic, then Alpha 5’s were Herculean. They finished what was originally intended to be a two phase project in half the time, smashing out 3000m of piping, across 5 valleys up on Volcan Barva. We salute you Alpha 5.

Alpha 6 undertook the construction of eco-latrines in El Portillo, Nicaragua and constructed an impressive 29 bases, of which 5 were completed (bar roof), and 6 half done.

Alpha 7 in La Naranjita, (arguably this writer’s favourite place name on the Central American isthmus) had half built 5 of the adobe brick houses, which will be finished by their successive X-Ray group.

Alpha 8 also reached the halfway stage of their community centre and ran a successful sports day in San Jose. The centre will be completed in phase 2 by an X-Ray group.

For more details of the Alpha's endeavours, be sure to check the archive on the left hand side, and click on the corresponding heading.

It's all kicking off!

So that's it, the ball is officially rolling for the 11G&H projects and the venturers have been living the Raleigh dream for at least a day now! The Alpha groups left yesterday morning for the start of their phase one projects. After a night of mayhem at the fieldbase party the evening before, which involved lots of cake, paint and dancing, the venturers were up the next morning from 4am to set off on their adventures… some of whom were still covered in the party paint.  Let's see how they're getting on with some brief updates from the groups;

Alpha 1 – Turrimacho Trek
The group spent the first night of their Turrimacho adventure in Cimarrones where they slept last night. Today they are trekking on to Barbilla National Park. So far so good for the trekkers!

Alpha 2 – Guanacaste Trek
Spirits are high and morale is well and truly boosted for the Guanacaste guys as they began their trekking adventure with complimentary bandanas and a trek song already in place. No doubt there will soon be a team dance to match this, maybe even a group handshake. We can only hope. The team spent their first night sleeping under the stars on a school porch in Anjeles and will continue on to Alto Cebadilla today.

Alpha 3 Miratombo Trek, Alpha 6 Apantes & Alpha 7 in Quebrada Honda
Jetting off to Nicaragua – after a lengthy 8 hour bus trip, these groups spent the night together in Jinotepe School to break up the journey. With a fully equipped kitchen for cooking and two seperate bathrooms with showers, (with showers!) this luxury pit stop was well appreciated by our groups. This morning the groups went their separate ways, continuing their journeys for the start of their phase one adventures.

Alpha 4 – Volcan Turrialba / Braulio
After spending last night in the more luxurious ranger’s hut (rumour has it that this particular hut has a chandelier! Potentially a little inapt but fun nonetheless), the group have headed off this morning to La Casa, where they will be sleeping for the duration of their time at Volcan Turrialba. They headed up to the top of the volcano this morning to begin their first day of work - woohoo!

Alpha 5 – La Cangreja
The group spent their first night in the comfortable ranger’s station before they set off today into the depths of the jungle to set up their jungle camp! The team will begin to work on the wheelchair trails in the next day or so after they have settled in, but first thing's first - camp. Watch this space.

Delta 1 – Playa Hermosa
Delta one has successfully set up their jungle camp. They are spending today finishing final touches to their new home (such as sorting out the ‘Tarzan’ and 'Jane’ themed longdrops!). Work has also begun today on the hatchery and tonight the team has their first night patrol where they will begin the search for turtles!

Delta 2 – Camaronal
The group spent their first night sleeping in the Ranger’s hut before heading out to build their jungle camp where they slept yesterday. They have already began working on the trails and tonight they’ll be taking part in their first night patrol shift!

Delta 3 – Bajo Chirripo
Delta 3 aren’t wasting any time! The hard work has already begun as the group work on clearing the area of all trees and debris, and start on the foundations for the school. Go team go!

Delta 4 - Chirripo
Delta 4 are also cracking on! The group has been split into two groups on the work site; one to collect and carry the wood back to base, while the rest focus on digging ditches and putting in new piping for water. This will be the main job for the rest of the week. It's tough work to start with but spirits are high and the venturers are giving it all they've got!

A quick heads up for you guys back home, some of us fieldbase staff are off on a road trip to visit the groups on Tuesday 12th July and will out of the office for 12 days. So if you want to leave any more comments, best write them before the 12th so we can deliver them when we’re out and about!

Also, just a warning, because so many of our projects are based in such remote locations there is limited contact and access available for both the venturers and the volunteer managers here at Raleigh. This just means that the blogs may be less frequent, especially when we’re out on the road. But bear with us and keep an eye out as we will be updating as often as we can… Viva la blog!

Message from Birthday girl Bert Dunphy to home - She has had the best birthday ever and can't wait to get out there!

Check out the Alpha teams departing yesterday morning!

Alpha 3!

Alpha 6 Cameron getting stuck in!

Alpha 5 off to La Cangreja!

Loading up the supplies!

Early morning breakfast and a packed lunch for the road!

Alpha 2!

Alpha 1!

Pura vida!

*Blog written by Dawn Tennant unless otherwise stated. Photos by various.

The Deltas are off!

The beats were pumping and all kinds of shapes were being thrown around the dance floor last night as the Delta's enjoyed a proper send off at our 4th July party. Red, white and blue was the theme, along with an ‘American’ fancy dress… quite a broad theme I’ll admit but it seemed to go down well nonetheless. After a delicious BBQ (courtesy of cook Sandra and handy-man and living legend Don Martin) and an inspiring slideshow of the last few days, it wasn’t long before the party kicked off.

The groups were up from 3.30am this morning to finish off a few final preparations and some last minute packing before they loaded up the buses and set off on their adventures just as the sun began to rise. We will hopefully be getting updates from these groups soon enough, so keep an eye out.

So, the Deltas departed and it was a quick clean up and turnaround at fieldbase before the Alphas arrived back from their Jungle camps soon after. True to the jungle camp form there were a mixture of feelings upon return, however we’re happy to say that these were all good (mostly good…) and the Alpha's are now pumped, motivated and ready for action – woo, let's go!!

Alphas at Jungle camp!

Alpha 2 polishing up on their map reading skills

A little first aid for the Deltas before they set off

Alpha 7 ready to go

The Delta's sit down to a well deserved BBQ evening!

Boogie nights

More BBQ and party times for the Alpha's tonight before they head off for the start of phase one tomorrow morning.

Delta 4!

Delta 3

Delta 1!

Delta 2 setting off this morning

Private message (or not so private anymore...) - attention the girlfriends of Cyrus and Nick - a little message to you both, with love.

Awww!

Just another quick reminder for those of you who are leaving comments on here – if you could put the name and Delta/Alpha group of the person you are writing to that would be much appreciated. Muchas gracias amigos.     

For the friends and family of Abilasha and Catherine White, please note that Abi has moved from Alpha 1 to Alpha 4, and Catherine has moved from Alpha 4 to Alpha 1.   

From everyone here at Raleigh Costa Rica, Pura vida!

*Blog written by Dawn Tennant and photo's by Kat Mammone, unless otherwise stated.

11G&H Project Groups Announced this Morning!

The phase one project groups have finally been announced! Woohoo – exciting times ahead! Here are the groups;

Here for 10 weeks – the 11G Alpha groups! First up, let’s hear it for our Phase one Trekkers;

Alpha 1 – off on the Turrimacho trek we have…

Abi Rabaman

Claire Smye

Corrie Moxon

Francis Lanuza

Joyce Hiu Tung Law

Jonathan White

Katie Neal

Cebolla Gamboa

Luke Smalley

Mitch Tulloch

Vejuna Zalalyte

Alpha 2 – off on the Guanacaste trek we have…

Charlie Page

Pinki Tse

Daniel O’Brien

Elliot Bartholomew

Esther Lusty

Hannah Bottomley

Fernando Castillo

Jennifer Miller

Joss Tringham

Karen Rocha

Maykol Meneses

Tim hales

Alpha 3 – off on the Miratombo trek in Nicaragua we have…

Catherine Chatfield-Ball

Catriona McIntosh

Daniel Renshaw

Emma Black

Jordan Carter

Kulbir Rai

Lloyd Thomas

Otto Mena Kikat

Ryan Austin

Cindy Fung

Yandry Benavides

Hats off to the trekkers – it’s going to be an adventure that’s for sure.

Next up, the Environmental Projects:

Alpha 4 – off to Volcan Turrialba and Braulio to help develop the facilities for tourist for when the park re-opens we have…

Alex Newman

Bibi Barstra

Catherine White

Dave Winterflood

Evelyn Calderon

Jodie Hastie

Keith Lau Sui Pang

Noe Corrales

Rich Johnson

Ryan Baker

Sarah Canty

Yasim Begum

Alpha 5 – off to La Cangreja National Park to build a trail for wheelchair users we have…

Caesar Schinas

Carla Dunphy

Christopher Tullo

Claire Barnsley

Isaac Hassard

Joanna Bartlett

Lucy Xu

Sara Wilkes

Daran Sarma

Angelina Cheung

Werner Calderon

Yisbel Centeno

And last in the Alpha’s but by no means least…our Community Projects!

Alpha 6 – off to Apantes, Miraflor in Nicaragua to build a preschool we have…

Alfie Carapiet
Francesca Payne
Hugh Packer
Imi Morgan
Jen Clements
Harvey Ka Hung Tse
Kelly Robinson
Lydia Woodward
Maricruz Esquivel Lopez
Saran Kular

 Alpha 7 – off to Quebrada Honda in Nicaragua to take part in a gravity-fed water project and supply water for over 50 families in the community we have...

Christina Clare

Chris Vos

Emma Sheehy

Grace Minns

Jasmine Furbert

Jennifer Rodriquez

Justin Shenolikar

Kay Chow

Tricia Ofuono

Sacha Lapins

Jack Smylie Wild

The 5 week Delta’s!

Our Delta Community Projects:

Delta 1 – Off to the beautiful Playa Hermosa for turtle conservation and tree planting we have…

Ben Moye

Cata Aguilar

Charlie Mann

Daniel Fernandez

Deenal Patel

Hannah Laeverenz Schlogelhofer

Harry Touche

Henry Bullard

Kate Richardson

Nella Anderton

Tom Harley

Trino Chan

Zoe Bellamy

Delta 2 – off to the stunning Camaronal to take part in a turtle conservation project we have…

Bea Lee

Becky Talbot

Erick Cardenal

Gabriel de la Esperanza

Georgie Ward

Jade Porter

Kevin Tan

Louis de Dumast

Lucy Williams

Ross Lester

Sophie Flanagan

Will Harbourne

The Environmental Projects:


Delta 3 – Off to Bajo Chirripo Indigenous Reserve to help build a school we have…

Ava Mayer

Belle Tellier

Celia Underhill

Fede Lang

Fer Zuniga

Lucy Firmin

Luke Saunders

Micheal Sanni

Naveen Yarlagadda

Nick Burden

Rachel Neustadt

Rianna Kelly

Sophie Jenkins

Venexia Walker

Delta 4 – off to Chirripo Indigenous Reserve for a one-off project to build a new classroom we have…

Cyrus Afkhami

Bella Pringle

Cat Alabaster

Cristina Bolanos

Doug Ramsey

Eleanor Pike

Felipe Coto

Jasmine Chopra

Jodie Wall

Kayleigh Carr

Laura Hoddell

Maddie Hosker

Sam Berry

Susannah Packer

Wilson Woo

Already our Delta groups are off on their first adventure - Jungle Camp. They left fieldbase after lunch today to trek to various locations in and around the jungle ot far from fieldbase, where they will be putting their new found Raleigh survival skills into good practice; making basher beds, putting up tents, cooking on the trangia’s (small cooking pots that we use on phase… there is definitely a knack to using these!), getting friendly with their new team mates and getting their first taste of trek! So… walking boots on, bags packed, camelbacks full, maps at the ready, bandana’s on, trek song sorted - pretty much just about ready to go then!

Tomorrow afternoon the Delta’s will be returning and the Alpha groups will be off on their own Jungle and Trek Camp adventures. In the meantime, the Alpha’s will spend the night here at fieldbase and continue to settle in after two days of madness, with dinner and a little salsa dancing later on tonight!

As for our late arrivals (Luke, Kelly, Yasmin and Bert (Carla)) we’re happy to say that they all arrived safely at fieldbase this morning, were greeted with some traditional Raleigh breakfast cuisine (…porridge) and were able to join the rest of the venturers just in time for the project allocations.

Just a quick heads up for you keen bloggers at home - when you leave messages on the blog from now on please remember to put the name of who it is to, their Alpha or Delta group and who it’s from. For the 10 weekers these groups will change for every phase so remember to keep an eye out for when they do! Big thanks – happy blogging.

So all our venturers are here, the PM’s are geared up, all project kit is ready and waiting…not much left to do now except to ‘GET OUT THERE!’

Here’s to expedition 11G&H! Bring it on.

Pura Vida! (and Happy 4th July to our American viewers!)

*Blog written by Dawn Tennant and photo’s by Kat Mammone, unless otherwise stated.