Join the Climb: Building a Future Where Every Child Belongs
Give 10 local kids in Jaco, Costa Rica, the chance to climb —literally and in life. with a year sponsorship to a rock climbing team.
Local kids help grow their town stronger, not just richer.
Walk through Jacó, Costa Rica on any sunny afternoon and you’ll hear three kinds of voices.
The first is loud—surfboards slap the water, espresso machines hiss in beach cafés, and tourists laugh their way down the main street. It’s the voice of a booming town: full of energy, money, and movement.
The second voice hums beneath the surface—construction crews building condos they’ll never live in. Hotel staff cleaning rooms they can’t afford to rent. It's the quiet rhythm of a workforce holding up a dream that doesn’t include them.
And the third voice? You don’t hear it—but you feel it. It’s the silence of a 12-year-old watching this whole world pass by from the doorway of a small house on the outskirts of town. No clear way to join in the rapid growth of the town.
In Jacó, tourism is thriving. But too many local children are being left behind—without access to safe spaces, structured activities, or the support networks that help kids thrive.
That’s where this project comes in. We’re building a youth climbing team made up of local kids who have talent, drive, and heart—but not the resources to train.
The program gives them:
Access to a professional climbing facility twice a week
Coaching from expert trainers
All the safety gear and climbing shoes they need
A team environment where they train side-by-side with kids from more privileged backgrounds
Why Now? Why Here?
1. Jacó is at a tipping point. It’s still early enough in that growth for something important to happen: the social divisions that often come with economic change haven’t fully hardened yet.
We have a window of opportunity to shape the kind of community Jacó becomes.
At the same time, the town is facing real risks. As a known trafficking route, Jacó has seen drug cartels move through and recruit local youth—offering quick money, false promises, and dangerous outcomes. Authorities are working to push back, but prevention is just as critical as enforcement.
2. Climbing develops resilience, problem solving skills, stress reduction, focus, body conditioning, discipline, and improved mental state.
3. Proximity to Elite Athletes: . Our students share the cafeteria and spaces with Olympic level professionals as part of a larger sports complex—creating rare, organic opportunities to interact, ask questions and explore future roles they can dream about.
Already, 17 children have discovered they’re made of stronger stuff. Their confidence isn’t just growing on the climbing wall—it’s spilling into the classroom, showing up in how they carry themselves, how they focus, and in the boldness of the dreams they now dare to say out loud.
This project is proudly adopted by the Rotary Club of Jacó-Garabito, part of one of the world’s most trusted and impactful service organizations. Rotary’s involvement brings not only credibility and transparency, but also a deep commitment to building a more inclusive, resilient Jacó. This climbing program is one piece of a larger vision: to create real, lasting opportunities for local youth—and to help this town grow in a way that lifts everyone. When you donate, you’re not just giving. You’re partnering with Rotary—and with the community—to shape a better, stronger future.
Your impact
You’re changing self-perception
Unlocking confidence, resilience, and purpose
Help the town grow without outgrowing its people
From invisible to empowered, you’re helping a child see themselves as worthy of opportunity. And it isn’t just about one child. Your support helps rebalance opportunity in a growing town—fostering inclusion, connection, and shared strength. This model—local kids rising alongside tourism—can serve as a powerful example of how development doesn’t have to leave people behind.
By offering structured, empowering activities like climbing—right now—we give kids more than something to do.
We give them:
A sense of purpose
Safe, positive spaces
vStrong peer connections
Mentorship and long-term goals
We’re not just filling time—we’re helping shape identity, offering a positive path before others define one for them, with lasting consequences.
Nitty Gritty
It costs $1,200 to support one student for an entire year, thanks to the matching gift from the climbing facility.
Our minimum goal is 10 scholarships, so the young athletes can have a full team. The gym is covering half the cost for training and gear—so every dollar you give stretches further.
This is more than a scholarship. It’s a bridge. It’s how one child’s climb becomes a community’s rise. It’s how Jacó grows stronger, not just richer.
Every $25 donation covers one week of training, supplies, coaching, and camaderie for one child. Furthermore, a monthly commitment tells these kids: “I believe in your future,” and shows them what long-term effort looks like.