Did you say bailout?

Is planting trees really going to help boost the economy? Twenty-three year old Edwin Sequeira, president of the youth reforestation cooperative thinks so.

The Costa Rican government has recently issued a Labor Ministry program. This program is designed to aid the young entrepreneurs. According to the Tico Times, there are 1.5 million Costa Ricans between the ages of 18-35. Out of these 1.5 million people, 360,000 are not enrolled in college nor do they have a job. The government has a plan to decrease the unemployment rate by providing $100 million to these young Costa Ricans, however, there is a catch.

This is not a bailout! This money will not be sent to the Costa Ricans directly, they must work for it. This money is planned to help 150 of these Costa Ricans in starting their own businesses. The government believes this will boost the economy.

Sequeira will be setting up a tour office in Bijagua de Upaia and will be heading tours of the area. This job will bring youths together to help preserve the environment. He plans of planting 2,500 trees in the area.

“We're also going to incorporate the environmental aid factor into our tours,” said Sequeira. “We'll allow tourists to plant a tree themselves, as well as providing information about climate change in Costa Rica." (Robertson, Tico Times).

This got me thinking, how are these young people going to be able to run a business with only a high school diploma? The National Cooperative Council has already agreed to help the youth with their endeavours. They plan on assisting them with financial problems along with paperwork and any other knowledge they will need to begin their business.

President Oscar Arias believes that this will really work. “The crisis has affected everyone worldwide, countries big and small, rich and poor,” said Arias. “But it will be the countries who protect and support the ambitions of its citizens who will be the first to leave this crisis behind.”