Pura Vida Initiative

The Pura Vida Initiative is my design for a community in less developed regions, inspired by the Costa Rican philosophy of sustainable living in harmony with the environment. With much of the world living in conditions of poverty and deprived of basic needs, such as clean water and shelter, access to a dignified life must be a top priority. The Pura Vida cloud system provides a ‘platform of connection’ for each community, no matter the location-- donated computers will link researchers, especially in Russia and the US, who have joined our program, with communities working on solving similar problems. “Community Innovation Centers” will contain these computers, providing resources for the empowerment of innovation in conjunction with the knowledge they receive from Pura Vida. Starting with Guatemala, these solutions will be uploaded so they can be used to solve global problems by those using the platform around the world.

Pura Vida focuses on the problem of rural communities in Guatemala who are still fighting for daily survival, trying to overcome malnutrition and disease. 64% of Guatemalans live in poverty while 30% live in extreme poverty, not being able to afford the minimum daily caloric intake required for survival. USAid statistics show that 65.9% of all Guatemalan indegenous people suffer from chronic malnutrition. 

According to UNDP statistics, Guatemalan children go to school for 4 years on average with only 26% passing standardized reading tests. 

Lack of education and poverty stifle communities trying to actualize the innovation within themselves, and that can improve the lives of its people. Guatemalan children struggle with their identity in the school system, one that is removed from their communities’ world view. It ignores their cultural values and does not take into account their socio-economic situation. It is often hard for them to adapt since very few teachers can speak both Spanish and an indegenous language. 

In Guatemala 99% of femicide cases go unprosecuted, creating a climate that perpetuates violence against women. Pura Vida will address women’s rights issues by including them in innovation centers where their work can help improve their lives

The infrastructure of Pura Vida is a free global cloud based platform accessible to all. Mobilizing knowledge, our platform brings open science to everyone by placing the research from college professors and students that sign up for Pura Vida, tailored to each community’s needs. For example, a virtual doctor will be created to provide relevant medical advice. In order to integrate with the indigenous culture, the Pura Vida interface will be made accesible in the Maya native dialects. Pura Vida will provide immediate access to  modern research and communities will be able to communicate directly with researchers to work on solutions together. This knowledge will be used to upgrade and re-design communities focusing on health, sustainability, natural biodiversity, and gender equality.

Because as little as 26.5% of the population have access to the internet, access points in Pura Vida’s Community Innovation Centers will be made accessible to remote areas--partnering with FSI Con (https://www.fsicon.com) to create a sustainable investing program for Pura Vida. These investors are looking for ways to fund renewable solutions, and that begins with fostering a green outlook among the people who can impact nature positively.

The world is growing into a startup culture with grassroots innovation, but to realize this vision you need to have a basic quality of life.

The Pura Vida Initiative is reinvigorating the dreams of communities and individual dreamers, while creating a social cushion for those most endangered.

Rather than a one-shot infusion into communities, will provide a constant stream of support for local innovators, actualizing positive growth in their community. Pura Vida is technology in harmony with the lifestyle of those it helps, not clashing with their culture. Three elements vital to Pura Vida are culture, environment, and a positive integration into the global network, so that all three can live in harmony.

For young women who live in situations of crisis, Pura Vida will immediately impact and save their lives by becoming a bridge to a future with meaning and dignity. Partnering with NGOs  building schools will provide materials for Pura Vida Innovation Centers and opportunities to educate future inventors.

The first communities in the Pura Vida network will function as “mini smart cities”, utilizing experimental technology and research to create a direct immediate solution for the problems that inhibit growth.

Pura Vida Innovation Centers and the digital cloud platform will reach communities on the margin, providing resources, triggering inventions and generating better health. The global circular economy will benefit from the influx of these ideas and the products born; the revenue generated will boost the quality of life for each Guatemala community.

Pura Vida will also foster sustainable tourism, as tourists take part in the “rhythm of life”. People will come to see and experience nature and the Mayan way of life. Everything will be set up and led by community members, providing an honest and authentic experience for tourists.