NewsletterVolume III JUNE 2014

info@fruktus.org

‘’Camino a la Copa’’Spreading World Cup Fever!

Harvesting leaders, growing opportunities

FRUKTUS Foundation

FRUKTUS Foundation is a private nonprofit organization, whose founders are second generation family members of shareholders of companies dedicated to the pineapple and banana production in Costa Rica. Our main sponsors are Pinera Parismina and Agroindustrial Bananera del Caribe (pineapple producers), Bananatica de Costa Rica (banana producer) and Chestnut Hill Farms (Sales & Marketing, Logistics and Distribution) which is based in Miami, Florida.

Our main goal is to promote, support, and develop sustainable communities in Costa Rica’s Caribbean region, through the empowerment of its inhabitants and consequential conversion into positive leaders.

Who we are?

Andrés CorralesPresident FRUKTUS Foundation

The beginning of 2014 has been filled with powerful emotions and wonderful projects. We have continued working in our leadership program developing important topics such as; emotional intelligence, gender issues, conflicts resolution and team work. At the same time, a few days before the beginning of the current scholar year, we had the pleasure to participate in the inauguration of the preschool classroom our partner companies donated to Río Cascadas School, while we also joined the winners of our first summer camp for a day filled of fun at San Jose’s Amusement Park. We keep on working finding solutions for La Lydia and La Curia potable water issues, as well as have progressed with the technical studies for a collection and garbage disposable center benefiting 5 communities, in collaboration with students from Earth University. Thanks to our ongoing support to Textiles Duacarí, an organized group of entrepreneur women, the first prototypes of pants and shirts have been developed for display and sale. In addition, RBA and Do It Center Guanacaste, donated two wheelchairs for community members at Pueblo Nuevo. As part of our visitors program we had the honor of welcoming Norway’s Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and his wife, as well as the President of Ocean Bank Miami and his committee. They were all greatly impressed

with our projects. The community of El Limbo requested support from us in order to build a baseball stadium. This project will have the financial support of Dinadeco (National Institute for Rural Community Development) once the design is provided. Through a partnership with the architectural firm VOID, which is enhanced with their spirit to support social projects, we had the pleasure of receiving the design donation from architect Ricardo Sevilla. Another alliance that has given us great results has been the one with Planeterra Foundation, whom in a co-joint venture with BID, are financing a learning and development program for the Amazilias, a women chocolate company from the community of Pueblo Nuevo. Of course we are also part of Brazil’s World Cup fever, and during the month of March we had the visit of Jordan and Roddy, from Camino a la Copa, whom in January started an adventure that is taking them from Colorado, USA all the way down to Brazil. During their trip they get to visit plenty of communities, and while playing football with the youngest ones, get to share their message of hard work and discipline to reach each of our dreams. Finally, along with Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica, we have been working along with private companies, communities, school students and leaders in the region, reforesting areas located within pineapple farms. Without a doubt this summer has been of great excitement, emotions and initiatives, which at the same time has motivated us even more to keep on working harder and develop additional projects in hand with our neighboring communities and leaders. On behalf of the Foundation, its members, community leaders, partners and sponsoring companies, we are eager to share this edition with all of you. In the meanwhile do not hesitate to follow us on Facebook or write to us to my email andres@fruktus.org. Thank you very much for following us and look forward to share more projects with all of you in our next edition.

“Never Forget” - Gaetano PandolfoJanuary 23rd

Known sports journalist, Gaetano Pandolfo, author of the book ‘’Never Forget’’ shared with us his life experience struggle against alcoholism. Thanks to RBA and INS he donated 100 of his books as well as made a recount of his personal story to 150 young members from our communities. Such enriching activity was held in Villafranca.

Inauguration of Río Cascadas Preschool Clasroom at La Lydia

Amusement Park Visit - Summer Program FRUKTUS Foundation

February 6th February 7th

Since 6 years ago the youngest students and community members of La Lydia dreamed of a proper classroom for their preschoolers to receive their courses. After four months of initiating the construction program with the financial support of Piñera Parismina S.A., Bananatica de Costa Rica, and Concreprefa S.A., along with our star Community Leader Yuddy Solano, we officially inaugurated the classroom, which is expected to benefit more than 25 students in the long term. We give a special thanks to all the family members of the school for their support in the construction of such important project.

From the 6th to the 10th of January Fruktus President, Andres Corrales, organized a summer camp along with DARTE Organization for more than 70 teenagers ages 13-17 from Villafranca, El Limbo and Pueblo Nuevo communities. The winners of this first summer camp were rewarded with a one-day visit to the National Amusement Park in San José. We give a special thanks to our President for organizing such a beautiful activity for our communities youngest members.

Reinforcing Education

Case Study - UN Peace University

February 26th

March 18th

We compromise with our workers in providing them academic growth opportunities, for them and their families. Therefore each year at the beginning of the elective course we donate school packages for their families. This year Piñera Parismina S.A. and Agroindustrial Bananera del Caribe S.A donated 975 school material packages for elementary and high school students of the area.

On March 18th we received the pleasant visit of 18 students from 17 different nationalities, all of them participants of the Master’s Program of Responsible Management & Sustainable Economic Development from UN Peace University campus in El Rodeo, Ciudad Colón, San José. The purpose of the visit was to construct a case study of how the pineapple activity can be done in a responsible manner generating environmental, social, and economic growth benefits to its neighboring communities. All students were greatly impressed of the visited farms agricultural practices as well as their social vision and the foundation’s projects.

Encouraging Sports & Healthy Life in the Communities - “Camino a la Copa’’March 28th

Camino a la Copa is an adventure that emerged from a group of friends that united in the mission of traveling by land from Colorado to Brazil in their quest to reach FIFA’s World Cup tournament. Along these six months of driving 30,000 kms, discovering 12 countries and learning from multiple cultures and languages, Jordan and Roddy will be sharing their dreams with young soccer fans from all around the continent. We had the opportunity to welcome them in one of their stops and share a day of sports along with with more than 130 children and teenagers from Pueblo Nuevo and Villafranca.

‘’A dream doesn’t come true from one day to the other’Jordan & Roddy Thank you for sharing your dream with us!

Environmental AlliancesApril 25th

Thanks to the collaboration of Pueblo Nuevo Excellency School, and the support of Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica, 250 trees were planted in a protected area within Agroindustrial Bananera del Caribe farm.

In such rewarding activity, participated elementary school students, teachers, farm workers, Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica staff, and FRUKTUS member Esteban Corrales.

In alliance with the National Chamber of Pineapple Producers & Export Companies of Costa Rica, we united efforts in the initiative to develop a communication and promotional campaign of FRUKTUS programs and activities, which take place in our country’s Caribbean Region. These publications will allow us to set an example throughout the agroindustry in order for others to follow our great efforts and hard work, as well promotes and supports our projects.

National Pineapple Magazine Publication (CANAPEP) April 28th

From left to right members of FRUKTUS Foundation: Esteban Corrales-Proyect Lider in the Atlantic Region, Andrés Corrales-President, Pía Beeche and Marialaura Obando both in Marketing-Communication, and Oscar Obando Jr.-Treasurer. Absent members: Sara Bustamante and Martin Jensen

FRUKTUS Foundation members

“It’s impossible to build successful companies in failed societies”-Stephen Schmidheiny

Main sponsors: