Warkworth Resident David Lyon is Seeking Volunteers

The cost is $27,000 plus Airfare

Article by Sue Dickens/Images submitted

Warkworth – Thurs., Oct. 27, 2022 - Looking for a change in your day-to-day life, a trip, a chance to do something meaningful? Then consider being a volunteer on a trip to Tsinikicha, Costa Rica, led by Warkworth resident David Lyon.

This is not the first time he has led a group of volunteers to another country to help the local people there whether it be to help build infrastructure, a new school or huts, it’s all under the auspices of the organization Developing World Connections (DWC).

The organization is a registered Canadian non-profit based in Kamloops, B.C. that offers international service trips to make travel meaningful.

This will be Lyons sixth international trip and at the young age of 66 he plans on doing several more yet.

A retiree who has been to Bolivia and to Vietnam with Habitat for Humanity, he became involved with a group of DWC volunteers who helped finish a women’s shelter in northern India, so he is no stranger to travel and helping in other countries.

Locally readers will know David for his volunteer leadership in The Abundance Project in Warkworth, a community-based organization focused on promoting healthy eating, sustainable growing practices and food preparation skills.

When asked what drives him, Lyon said, “This is going to sound a little corny but to do good in the world.”

This flagship project in Costa Rica aims to improve the economic prospects of a remote indigenous village by making infrastructure improvements that will support their vision of sharing their culture with travellers. The project will offer an exclusive and remote volunteer experience in a way that very, very few have ever done. Tsinikicha borders the Barbilla National Park which recently allowed the use of some of its trails for hikers. There is great potential to appeal to visiting hikers and the community has plans to offer a comprehensive traditional experience that would bring valuable new sources of income.

Six villages in the territory are involved in this initiative. A new ceremonial hut has been built. Near here is the site for a hikers’ camp and small soda (restaurant). DWC volunteers will assist in developing camping facilities for hiking visitors of the El Camino Trail as well as facilities for sustainable small business that supports tourist experiences. This will increase village commerce and offer improvements for residents.

Lyon noted, “The Covid-19 pandemic has not left any place in the world untouched. However, the effects in the developing world add a whole new layer of challenges to the economic, educational and societal challenges most developing countries were already facing … and these are far reaching and will be felt for decades to come. For example, the World Bank has estimated that in Latin America the share of 10 year olds who cannot read a simple story will skyrocket from around 50% to 80% or more as a result of school closures during the pandemic.”

Lyon pointed out, “Unfortunately for the first 18 months of the pandemic no volunteer projects trips occurred. The good news is that this is changing. Several teams have travelled so far this year, and more are in the works for the fall and winter of 2022/23. Which brings me to the main purpose of this message.”

By way of background Lyons noted, “In the spring of 2022, I was to lead a team of volunteers to Costa Rica …we were all set to go in March of 2022, but unfortunately the COVID case count in Costa Rica had not declined sufficiently for DWC travel guidelines to allow the trip to go forward.”

Then in June 2022, DWC partnered with Asociación Mar a Mar to construct a washroom and shower facility in Tsinikicha, Costa Rica. Florita, an indigenous woman from the village of Dueri, visited the project and spoke on behalf of the governing body of the territory. The women from her village will supply chickens, casabe, plantains and other produce for a restaurant that will also be built on the site.

Since then DWC has had several teams travel to Costa Rica, and several more are planned for the spring of 2023, including a rescheduled trip that Lyon will be leading. Many of the folks who had signed on for the 2022 trip are committed to joining the 2023 trip, but a few have indicated they will not be joining, so as a result he is looking for new people to be part of the team.

“It is my hope that someone will be interested in joining this team and by doing so make a difference to the lives of indigenous community members in Costa Rica,” said Lyon.

This is the link to the trip page; https://developingworldconnections.org/trip/costa-rica-march-2023/. “If you think this trip is for you, click on the ‘Sign Up For This Trip’ tab and complete the short form … there is no financial commitment needed until the trip as a whole has been ‘green lighted’ (in other words when we have sufficient volunteers for the trip to go ahead).”

Developing World Connections has continued to support and expand programs in the developing world over the past two years (see; https://developingworldconnections.org/campaigns/global-village/ or https://developingworldconnections.org/projects/every-girl/).

Reflecting on his reasons for doing the volunteer work, Lyon said, “Every morning you look at the news and what’s it all about? Wars, famine, the economic downturn. I decided about eight years ago that I wanted to put my volunteer efforts, whether that’s time or money, into projects that actually make a difference in people’s lives. There’s lots of volunteer things that you can do locally for example, cleaning up a trail, beautifying the Main Street whatever, and those are all good things, but you know, in my heart they don’t really address the social needs of this community or a larger community. So I still support things locally but internationally, these trips accomplish two things. For me it’s a chance to visit countries that I likely wouldn’t visit on my own or with my wife. And at the same time, to immerse myself in another culture, work shoulder to shoulder with, with local people, building something that will actually improve their lives.”

The dates for this trip are February 25 through to March 11, 2023.

The cost is $2,700 and that includes food, accommodation and transportation while there as well as a donation to the project costs in Costa Rica. Some people may opt to stay another week or so just to relax and enjoy the sights but accommodation, transportation and food would be at their own expense.

In conclusion Lyon said, “I truly believe that it is incumbent on all of us in the ‘first world’ to give a hand up to those who have fewer resources.”

For more information go to: https://developingworldconnections.org/trip/costa-rica-february-2023/

Check out these two videos as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKlnQsaBPk0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaa5ME7Qbxo

To reach David call 705-653-6079 or email: [email protected].

Editor’s Note: By the way Lyon’s great nephew, 16-year-old Jules Richer, who lives in Montreal, Quebec is joining the team.

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