STRENGTHENING NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS AS COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS THAT ADVOCATE, MANAGE AND CONTROL NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE TERRITORY.

The Talamanca Bribri Indigenous Reserve, a remote, forested area, contains the second-largest indigenous population in Costa Rica.

Bribri citizens have limited access to public services such as electricity, running water, health care, and waste removal. Land invasions and illicit drug trafficking constantly threaten their welfare and livelihoods. Crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbate this situation and have severely affected Bribri communities.

Indigeous organization Asociacin de Desarrollo Integral Indgena Bribri (ADITIBRI) administers the Bribri Indigenous Territory and advocates for Bribri citizens and their needs. At the IAF, we support community-led approaches to civic engagement and human rights.

Through this grant, ADITIBRI will increase the capacity of neighborhood councils to address local problems and ensure that BriBri citizens have access to public services.

In doing so, ADITIBRI will also build young people's leadership abilities to prepare them to lead the organization and the Bribri community in the future. This grant is part of the IAF's broader COVID-19 response strategy.