Thank you to Hayat for taking a suitcase to Costa Rica, it sounds like an inspiring trip! <3 [NJT Toronto]
“My trip to Costa Rica was wonderful. I went on this trip with school (Centennial College) and our main objective was to visit indigenous groups in the country. Visiting the indigenous population in Costa Rica was very inspiring and I learned so much.
We visited a doctor named Dr.Ortiz who opened a clinic in one of the indigenous areas we visited and this clinic is the first culturally aware public health clinic. Not only does Dr. Ortiz focus on healthcare issues in the area but also to provide the indigenous population in the area the same access to healthcare as other Costa Ricans. Together with his team, they also focused on human rights, education, spiritual indigenous medicine and fair wages for this population.
The health clinic is beautiful and painted with vibrant colors that are important to the indigenous group in the area. The clinic is also very small and it is only one floor. My group and I didn’t take any photos of the clinic as we were not allowed to, however, I did find a website that speaks about the work that Dr.Ortiz does and some pictures of the clinic. Before I left to Costa Rica, I did some research about the indigenous groups. From the research I found out that the nearest clinics for many people are not easy in access, thus most people choose not to visit a clinic. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult for many clinics in indigenous areas to receive medical supplies due to the lack of infrastructure. From all of this information, I thought it would be a great opportunity to bring a suitcase to help out.
When the doctor received the suitcase he was so thankful and extremely happy. I would like to thank Not Just Tourists for the wonderful work you all do and for allowing me to help others in need as well.
Hayat”
Photos from: https://fotodiarist.com/…/san-vitos-local-treasure-dr-pabl…/
