F O U N D A T I O N

Sowing Seeds for a Regenerative Tomorrow

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To cultivate a healthier, more resilient ​world as we create a replicable model ​for change and regenerative ​stewardship

our mission

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about us

we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit, dedicated to sowing seeds of change

by supporting local communities through regenerative ​agriculture, fostering educational initiatives, promoting ​culture and art while narrating this global redesign through ​impactful storytelling.

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Happy Latin American children planting a tree at the farm
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arts & culture

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regenerative agriculture

Education

5 pillars of change

community

empowerment

media

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Why are we here?

for our unsung heroes, the farmers, artists, musicians, service workers, and cultural change makers.

time is ticking for our ​endangered Earth!

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Economic

Lack of Food Sovereignty

➔ A primary source of global pain and suffering, ​posing a significant challenge for humanity.

Corporate-Driven Development Patterns

➔ Benefit very few people, pull money out of the ​community, and extract resources unsustainably.

Economic Pressures on Small Farmers

➔ Create a destructive cycle of chemical-intensive, ​monocrop agriculture and debt.

Urgent action is needed to protect our soils, rivers, and their defenders!


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“As the world’s ​problems become ​increasingly complex... ​The solutions remain ​embarrassingly ​simple!”




-Bill Mollison

(Co-founder of the ​Permaculture movement)



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where eterna ​foundation

comes in...

Eterna Foundation unites dynamic changemakers ​with communities to tackle urgent social, ​environmental, and economic issues.


Together, we support small farmers, through fair ​trade initiatives, microloans, educational programs, ​and organic permaculture, recognizing their key ​role in community vitality and promoting a future ​of sovereignty, vitality, and regeneration.


We invigorate local economies by introducing ​healing arts to communities and employing land ​stewardship as a catalyst for change.

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Eterna Foundation journey

In 1995, Stephen Brooks' life took a turn in Costa Rica. Witnessing a ​playground full of indigenous children getting sprayed by a Chiquita ​Banana crop duster, he saw the harsh reality of modern agriculture. ​This moment sparked a mission: to change how we farm and live in ​connection with the Earth. Stephen founded the Punta Mona Center, ​a tropical haven where thousands have learned about sustainable ​living, from Permaculture to herbal medicine. But he didn't stop there. ​He established 3 eco-villages, uniting 225 families from over 40 ​countries in a shared vision of a greener world.


Andrea Belen, a Costa Rican social change maker with rich indigenous ​Guarani roots. Andrea founded Eterea, a Costa Rican fashion brand ​that is a pioneer and leader of the conscious fashion movement. She ​also co-founded Dress your Rights - a non profit which used her ​platform in fashion to empower woman, as well as spread social ​change to the populations most in need. Andrea from a very young ​age has been dedicated to inclusion and bringing fairness into all of her ​projects while bringing ritual and celebrating culture everywhere she ​goes.


Together they are an absolute force ready to create change throughout ​Costa Rica while implementing a replicable model that can be spread ​throughout the world!




our story

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the first

model farm

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Food Production Facility

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F O U N D A T I O N

DIVERSE

Plant

Nursery

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RAICES & ALAS

phase 1 Initiatives

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artist

residencies

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EVENTS & EDUCATION

LA HUERTA

el corazón

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about la huerta

transforming agriculture

Dedicated to supporting small farmers in their ​transition from chemical monoculture to diverse, ​regenerative farming.


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Empowerment
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Empowering small Landowners

Focusing on prosperity and Earth care with sustainable, ​globally replicable models.

Building Alliances

Creating farmer collaborations to facilitate shared ​resources in processing, sales, and marketing, and ​establishing a collective brand.

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Why have our food grow in a place ​like this?

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When it can look like ​this?

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We've created a farm that regeneration ​and best practices. Implementing water ​management and syntropic systems for ​ecological balance.


Dedicated to empowering local farmers ​with diverse plant genetics, enhancing their ​move to regenerative farming practices

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A dedicated group with decades of ​experience in plant propagation and ​regenerative agriculture


Model Farm & Nursery


model farm using regenerative Agriculture Practices


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20+

years collecting diverse species

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species of trees & nuts being planted

Supporting Transition

100+

Experienced Team

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25+

years of teaching students from around the world

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students educated & visited projects

15k+

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education & outreach

online & in person learning

With over 20 years of experience teaching ​regenerative agriculture, we use La Huerta ​Farm School as a hub for both local and ​international farmers. Our online platform, ​Ecoversity, further extends our educational ​reach globally.

processing facility

State-of-the-Art Food Lab and ​Processing

We train locals in processing regional ​produce into shelf-stable, value-added ​products such as dried fruits, herbal ​remedies, and various dips and sauces.

el corazón


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raices y alas:


Building Cultural Bridges

Our flagship initiative, dedicated to forging ​connections across diverse multicultural and ​regional landscapes.

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mission

Our artistic and cultural projects engage both ​local and international participants through ​workshops, events, and various collaborative ​activities. These projects reflect on our ​heritage and envision a brighter future, ​fostering creativity and producing both artistic ​and practical outcomes.


With the support of Eterna Foundation and ​partnerships with private and state entities, ​Raíces y Alas is committed to uplifting ​vulnerable communities in Costa Rica. We aim ​to build cultural bridges among different ​regions through workshops, concerts, retreats, ​artist residencies, and more. By embracing a ​regenerative model, we strive to cultivate a ​healthier and more resilient world through a ​replicable framework of change and ​stewardship.





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“Tenderness as a Condition ​for Emancipatory ​Intergenerational Dialogue...

There is no emancipatory ​pedagogy that does not have ​dialogue as its foundation, as ​it signifies an encounter ​between human beings and is ​a "fundamental condition for ​their true humanization.”


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Promoting community ​Reflection

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(‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ ​educator and philosopher)



We begin by fostering introspection ​within communities, engaging a wide ​array of community leaders. This ​reflection process will have two key ​components:

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Exploring the Community's Past:

We will identify and examine pivotal historical ​events that have shaped the current reality of the ​community.

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Envisioning the Future:

We will encourage participants to reflect on and ​imagine the future of their community, articulating ​a shared vision for what lies ahead.

-paulo freier

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Our community projects are designed ​and developed by those who are part ​of the localities in Costa Rica, as they ​have firsthand knowledge of their ​area's situation.


The facilitators' intervention aims at ​the social reintegration and ​resilience of the beneficiaries, ​ensuring the sustainability of the ​project.

beneficiaries

Community Projects

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“What the soul ​does for its body, ​the artist does for ​their community”




-GABRIELA

MISTRAL

(Chilean poet, first Latin ​American author to receive a ​Nobel Prize in Literature)



long term visioN

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Self-Sustaining Projects

Develop models for sovereignty, ​independence, and regeneration: ​establish projects that can be replicated ​globally.

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Strategic Start

in San Mateo, Costa Rica, and San ​Juanillo: We initiate our vision in these ​areas where we currently own land, ​setting a strong foundation for future ​expansion.

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Global Replication Goal

Extend the model through satellite ​projects across Costa Rica and expand ​worldwide for maximum impact.

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the team

eterna foundation

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Andrea belén

Co-Founder, Board

stephen brooks

Co-Founder, Board

Ethnobotanist, ​Community Builder,

Teacher

Social Impact ​Entrepreneur, Activist, ​Community Builder

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SHARON KLEIMAN

Communicati​ons Director

Writer, Designer, ​Filmmaker, ​Entrepeneur

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F O U N D A T I O N

are you ready to join us in ​creating impact?

become a part of the change