About us
Costa Rica Equine Welfare is a non-profit association officially registered in Costa Rica. Our team comprises horse-loving individuals inspired by other like-minded non-profit groups who aim to improve the welfare and quality of working equids´ lives in Costa Rica.
Values
vision
Mission
Integrity, education, trust, delivery, help, care, commitment and welfare.
C.R.E.W.´s vision is to improve the work that is done in Costa Rica for the well-being of the equines.
C.R.E.W.´s mission is to become an institution reliable in matters regarding the well-being of horses in Costa Rica.
Our community based Approach
"Starting a community-based program is just like starting a jigsaw puzzle. There are an incredible number of pieces, all of different sizes and colors and it is only when all of these pieces are woven together, that they actually mean something. The key to success in finishing a jigsaw puzzle is not to focus just on one piece but to take each piece into consideration as this allows us to see the whole picture.
We believe that by working with the different departments of local governments, vets, municipalities, health workers, teachers, children, general public and horse owners we are creating a community awareness, and this is the way to achieve positive change.
These working horses are not just part of the economy, and neither just a work tool but actually part of the community. Each group of stakeholders are an individual element, a piece of the jigsaw... by raising awareness and by working with as many of these groups as we can we hope to see a long-lasting change within these communities".
Quote from Debbie Warboys, Founder of Costa Rica Equine Welfare.
WE WORK WITH LOCAL PEOPLE IN THE AREA TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED.
“When we think about the total amount of working equids (100 million) that still provide income to around 600 million people worldwide, we can easily conclude the important role the working equids fulfill. Horse welfare is important as well as taking into consideration how a healthy horse can have a much longer productive life and how this can contribute to increasing the economy of a community, decrease poverty, provide decent work, gender equality, accessibility to food and water, plus access to better education and others. It’s a cycle in which we participate, improving the lives of working equids and the livelihoods in the communities. We look forward to continue expanding education and awareness for the benefit of all”.
Quote from Lisa Ortuno, President and Manager for Costa Rica Equine Welfare.
Where we work
To determine which areas we will focus our efforts in, the initial step is to investigate whether there is a significant working horse population.
Then, the next step is to identify the working equids ‘needs and what real challenges are being faced. Through observation and face-to-face conversations with horse owners, we learn about current access to equine service providers, working life, income, health issues, and common problems that a certain population of working horses has.
Once we have established that an intervention is needed, we collect vital baseline data so that we can design a community-based program that is specific to those needs.
Currently, our focus is on the Ngabe (Guaymi) Indigenous communities in southern Costa Rica, the pack horse association at Chirripo National Park, and currently starting work with Bribri and Cabecar indigenous communities located in the Caribbean part of Costa Rica.
