How ACCAI Was Born

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After the Terremoto de Nicoya de 2012, the school in Playa Brasilito, Guanacaste, suffered significant structural damage, forcing students to continue their classes in temporary spaces under precarious conditions. First, the community soccer field was turned into improvised classrooms, and later classes were moved to the community hall, where all grade levels shared the same space with constant noise, severely affecting learning.

In 2018, Erika, the founder of ACCAI, began working with students in Brasilito through another organization, teaching English. It was then that she identified major academic gaps, even in basic skills such as reading and writing, which led to the introduction of academic support classes.

The situation worsened with the arrival of the Pandemia de COVID-19 in 2020, when many students lost access to education due to a lack of technological resources and support at home, further widening learning gaps.

Faced with this reality, and also learning about the social challenges in the community—such as poverty, school dropout rates, and lack of opportunities—a deep concern arose:
What future awaits these children if they do not receive support?

ACCAI was officially founded in 2023 as a response to this urgent need. Through collaborative work with community members who shared the same vision, this initiative began to take shape.

Thus, ACCAI was born: a space built with love, commitment, and the belief that education can transform lives and open pathways toward a more dignified future for new generations.