Abriendo Mentes

Non-profit Organization

General Description:

Abriendo Mentes is a community development initiative that empowers rural Costa Rican communities through innovative educational and social programming.

OUR STORY

Abriendo Mentes, which is Spanish for ‘Opening Minds’, was established in 2009 by founders Meradith Leebrick and Drew Ragland. The couple had been living in Potrero for several years and were asked by their Costa Rican neighbor if they could begin offering some English classes for his daughter and her cousins. What began as very informal tutoring sessions with no supplies, no resources, and no physical classroom space, grew steadily into a full-fledged after school program for dozens of local children.

Since 2009 the organization has continued to grow by leaps and bounds, with highlights including the addition of adult education programming, the donation of our computer lab leading to the establishment of our technology program, the creation of our women’s economic empowerment programs, the development of our internation

Featured Services Description:

At Abriendo Mentes, our programs are thoughtfully developed to address the unique education and community development needs of the villages where we work in rural Costa Rica. Our comprehensive approach to community-based education focuses on youth development, adult education and job skill development, women’s economic empowerment, and community development.