|
Pura Vida in Costa Rica Smith MBAs Explore the Intersection of Public Health and the Environment
"The main takeaway from the trip for me was being immersed in another country's culture and seeing life from their perspective," said Lisa Domeshek, a part-time MBA student at the Smith School's Shady Grove campus. "I definitely came back with a broader view on how health care works in other countries and also on environmental sustainability." One of the early stops on the trip was Doka Estate, a fair trade coffee estate in San Luis de Sabanilla. Students toured the estate to learn more about the process of growing coffee beans and the economic and environmental impacts on the region. Smith student Jodi Graves said she was impressed with the amount of care that goes into the way the estate is operated. "Everything is done by hand," she said. "But more importantly, they do everything with the environment in mind." A highlight of the trip for many was visiting Nectandra Institute, an organization founded by Ashoka fellow Alvaro Ugalde dedicated to promoting the conservation of cloud forests and the stewardship of watershed ecosystems across northern Costa Rica. Nectandra offers 'ecological loans' to the local community so that they can purchase watershed lands, restore forest cover and protect their sources of water. It does not charge monetary interest, but instead charges 'ecological interest.' Communities must commit to planting trees and educating members on the importance of water, forest and the relationship between the two. Luis Valente Villa, a Nectandra staff member, said they do not charge monetary interest because they do not want to encourage the communities to engage in economic activities that would harm the environment. "We don't want to take one step forward and who knows how many steps backward," he said. Valente Villa emphasized the importance of thinking about economic development in the context of the natural capital of the world. A priority, he said, must be placed on maintaining the environmental services that nature provides--benefits that cannot be adequately measured. During their visit, students took a rainy, muddy hike up the mountain into the cloud forests, where they got to see Nectandra's work firsthand. "It was amazing to see such an incredibly motivated, grassroots operation, dedicated to water preservation," said Amol Singla, a part-time student at the Smith School's D.C. campus.
Costa Rica's wealth of natural resources were on full display during the ten-day trip. Students visited Poas, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and witnessed the striking amount of biodiversity present at Manuel Antonio National Park. The trip gave students the opportunity to consider the myriad inputs that affect the public health of a country and to walk away with a broader perspective on both the Costa Rican system, and the current health care debate in the United States. "It really incorporates all aspects of a person's life," said Amol Singla. "Here in the U.S., we don't have to consider as much where our water comes from and where our trash goes--or, at least, we can be removed from that thought process on a day-to-day basis. In Costa Rica, those are things that everyone faces and has to consider."
|
For
many years, Costa Ricans have subscribed to the philosophy of
pura vida--literally, "pure life"--which includes
valuing a strong community, perseverance and resilience in the
face of obstacles. This past January, 15 Smith MBA
students were immersed in pura vida as they traveled to
Costa Rica on a 10-day global studies trip that brought them
face-to-face with active volcanoes, two-toed sloths and more as
they explored the intersection of public health and the
environment.
The
week continued with site visits to organizations including AyA
Water Treatment Plant (the largest such facility in Central
America), Baxter Healthcare and Pfizer. Students witnessed
the models of service delivery at La Carpio, a Nicaraguan
refugee camp nicknamed the "village of hope," and CIMA, one of
three private hospitals in the country.
|
SPRING 2010 |