To cultivate a healthier, more resilient world as we create a replicable model for change and regenerative stewardship
our mission
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.
arts & culture
regenerative agriculture
Education
5 pillars of change
community
empowerment
media
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!
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!
“As the world’s problems become increasingly complex... The solutions remain embarrassingly simple!”
-Bill Mollison
(Co-founder of the Permaculture movement)
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.
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
the first
model farm
Food Production Facility
F O U N D A T I O N
DIVERSE
Plant
Nursery
RAICES & ALAS
phase 1 Initiatives
artist
residencies
EVENTS & EDUCATION
LA HUERTA
el corazón
about la huerta
transforming agriculture
Dedicated to supporting small farmers in their transition from chemical monoculture to diverse, regenerative farming.
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.
Why have our food grow in a place like this?
When it can look like this?
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
A dedicated group with decades of experience in plant propagation and regenerative agriculture
Model Farm & Nursery
model farm using regenerative Agriculture Practices
20+
years collecting diverse species
species of trees & nuts being planted
Supporting Transition
100+
Experienced Team
25+
years of teaching students from around the world
students educated & visited projects
15k+
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
raices y alas:
Building Cultural Bridges
Our flagship initiative, dedicated to forging connections across diverse multicultural and regional landscapes.
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.
“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.”
Promoting community Reflection
(‘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:
Exploring the Community's Past:
We will identify and examine pivotal historical events that have shaped the current reality of the community.
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
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
“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
Self-Sustaining Projects
Develop models for sovereignty, independence, and regeneration: establish projects that can be replicated globally.
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.
Global Replication Goal
Extend the model through satellite projects across Costa Rica and expand worldwide for maximum impact.
the team
eterna foundation
Andrea belén
Co-Founder, Board
stephen brooks
Co-Founder, Board
Ethnobotanist, Community Builder,
Teacher
Social Impact Entrepreneur, Activist, Community Builder
SHARON KLEIMAN
Communications Director
Writer, Designer, Filmmaker, Entrepeneur
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