COSTA RICA
COSTA RICA
Amubri, Costa Rica
Youthlinc is grateful to be partnering with Foundacion Humanitaria based in Costa Rica. The teams this year will be working in Amubri, which is in the indigenous territory of the Bri Bri people. It is located at the southeast coast on the Panama border and very few international visitors make it to this part of the country.
Youthlinc will be helping to build a women’s center in the Amubri community to support with economic advancement and skill building. We’ll also teach English lessons to the youth, run health fairs, and do a variety of cultural exchange activities: cooking lessons, language lessons, art, and soccer.
The team will be staying in simple and clean accommodation and will enjoy healthy and fresh meals prepared by Foundacion Humanitaria’s local team.
Once the teams’ work is complete, they will go on a boat tour of Torteguero National Park and stay overnight at All Rankin jungle lodge. Willis, the owner, is BRILLIANT. He’s hilarious, knowledgeable about the area. The lodge is beautiful – there are hammocks next to the water’s edge, the food Willis’s wife cooks is delicious (the Caribbean chicken is divine!). The cabins are spacious, comfy, clean and unusually cool considering the climate. We’ll only be a 5-minute stroll from the beach and Caribbean sea, but the views of the river that are the most amazing.
In-country Coordinator
Gail Nystrom
Gail Nystrom, who has lived in Costa Rica for over 30 years and her local partner, Roger, are our in-country coordinators. Fun fact: We were connected to Gail through Bruce Powell, a Youthlinc Board member from over a decade ago who also helped us find our current international partner in Guatemala, People for Guatemala, as well. We love you, Bruce!
Scott Bawden
Scott’s journey in “Youthlinc Land” began in 2010 when he and his son went to Kenya. Scott was a mentor for the Vocational committee and taught computer skills and baking. (Now that’s a combo)
In 2011 he was asked to be team leader and the rest is history. This year marks his 9th year of being a team leader and 10th trip overall. 5 times to Kenya, once to Thailand, Nepal and Peru and now twice to Fiji. All 3 of his children, Kevin, Jaclyn, and Jill have participated in Youthlinc. All 3 have been on multiple trips and all have been Assistant Team Leader’s. His lovely and talented wife was also able to go to Kenya in 2016 after many years of being the strength behind the scenes. (she even had a baby named after her in Kenya!)
Scott works at the University of Utah and is the Associate Director of IT for the School of Medicine as well as owning his own IT company. He also takes care of Youthlinc computers. In his spare time, he loves going to U of U football and basketball games and accompanying his wife to gymnastics meets at the U. He also loves golfing, and jeeping. If you see a big red Jeep with Ute logos all over it driving down the road, Scott is probably behind the wheel.
His favorite thing about being a Youthlinc team leader is that he gets “a front row seat to watch 40 people’s lives change.” He is excited to return to Fiji and the beautiful people there. “I’ve never met any group of people who are so welcoming and loving from the minute we met.” “Youthlinc has changed my life and the lives of my wife and children and I will be indebted to this wonderful organization for the rest of my life. I hope to continue staying involved with Youthlinc for many years.
Mimi Reeder was first involved with Youthlinc when she went to Kenya in 2019. She cherished her experience so much that her love of Youthlinc has grown every day since then, as she became the Intern for the Highland High Real Life site in 2019, and now the ATL for the Mongolia team! Mimi is a freshman at Western Washington University double majoring in Dance and Human Services. When Mimi isn’t obsessing over Youthlinc, she loves hiking, backpacking, camping, paddle boarding, skiing, and anything to do with the outdoors. Nothing excites her more than being the ATL for the opening of Mongolia and getting to connect with people who share the same love of service. She already knows this upcoming year will be unforgettable!
Mimi Reeder
Hi, my name is Chandler Pond. Currently I’m attending Utah Valley University as a pre-nursing major. My hope is to serve in a medical capacity around the world, and Youthlinc has made it possible for me to fulfill this passion as I work towards these goals.
I have traveled with Youthlinc to Nepal in 2015 and to Fiji in 2019. I can honestly say these trips have been some of the best times of my life. I have been able to travel, experience new cultures, and meet amazing people. I’m excited to get to know and work hand in hand with everyone on the team. I hope to positively contribute to my teams experience just as previous leaders have done for me.
Chandler Pond
Jordan Taylor
I couldn’t be more excited to return to Youthlinc for a 7th Trip. I started as a student going to Kenya in 2013 and since then I haven’t been able to walk away from Youthlinc. I have been lucky enough to go to Kenya, Guatemala, Peru, Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal and now Fiji. Service has embedded itself in my life both Locally and Internationally. Youthlinc also introduced me to Rotary and now I get the opportunity to do even more service with some of my closest friends. It has continually taught me about not only myself but about the world around me. My favorite part of these trips is the relationship you can build with those you are working with both on your team and in the community we serve. The best way to see the world is to work hard with the people of it to make it a little better. I’m continually surprised to see the impact just one person can have on so many others. I hope you will join me for one of the greatest experiences you can have.
You can usually find me at a local board game shop or out with my Dog, Georgia. I absolutely love board games and all things table top. I can guarantee you, I will probably make you play too. Join me and you’ll be surprised at how much you can grow and change through an experience like this.
I am so excited to have the opportunity to be an ATL this year. I joined Youthlinc in 2017 as a humanitarian in Thailand then continued on to be an alumni leader in Nepal in 2018 I will also be going to Peru in winter of 2020. My favorite part about being a part of Youthlinc is the lifelong friends I have made both in-country and on my teams. I’m excited to make those connections again and watch others have the same great experiences that I’ve been able to have through Youthlinc.
I love doing anything outdoors! In the summer I enjoy camping and hiking and in the winter you can find me skiing and snowboarding. I am currently working with a conservation corps that works to restore and conserve public lands in New Mexico and Arizona.