How ACCAI Was Born

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After the 2012 Nicoya earthquake, the school in Playa Brasilito, Guanacaste, suffered significant structural damage, forcing students to relocate to temporary learning spaces under precarious conditions. At first, the community soccer field were converted into makeshift classrooms, where the intense heat and nearby food odors from the restaurants around it made it even harder for students to learn. This situation highlighted not only the damage caused by the earthquake but also the deep-rooted vulnerabilities of the educational system in communities like Brasilito.

Later, classes were moved to the community hall, where all grade levels shared a single space. With no partitions and constant noise, concentration was nearly impossible, further affecting the learning environment and the students' ability to succeed academically.

In 2018, Erika, founder of ACCAI, began working with the students of Brasilito through another nonprofit organization, teaching English to children from first to sixth grade. It was during this time that she began to notice the academic gaps many students faced — even fifth and sixth graders were struggling with basic reading and writing skills. In response, academic support classes were introduced within that organization.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which made an already difficult situation even worse. Many students lost access to consistent education due to the lack of internet, devices, and parental support at home. Erika witnessed firsthand how the learning gaps widened dramatically — pushing many children even further behind, and increasing their risk of dropping out entirely.

She couldn’t stop wondering:
What will happen to these children when they move on to high school?

This concern grew deeper, especially knowing the reality of the community — where poverty, school dropout, drugs, and sexual exploitation are part of daily life. For many young people, leaving school often means ending up on the streets, in an environment with few opportunities and many risks.

​ACCAI was officially born in 2023 as a response to the urgent call of a community that refused to give up. It was through meaningful conversations with various community members —both locals and foreigners— who shared the same passion, concern, and deep desire to create change, that this initiative began to take shape. From that union of committed hearts and minds, ACCAI emerged: a space built by the community, with love, vision, and the strong belief that together, it is possible to transform realities and build a future filled with dignity and hope for the next generations.

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