Empowering Individuals in the Global Community Through Entrepreneurship
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Whole Planet Foundation partners with Grameen Trust in the Limon Province of Costa Rica where Whole Foods Market sources bananas and pineapples through EARTH University. Grameen Trust, a sister organization to Grameen Bank, is a registered non-profit, NGO in Bangladesh, established in 1989 by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and father of microcredit, Professor Muhammad Yunus. GT was designed to promote the Grameen principles of extending collateral free microcredit to the poor to alleviate poverty. GT provides technical assistance, training, funding and other support to 138 partners in 37 countries, including directly implemented BOT projects in seven countries.
Whole Foods Market Team Member Volunteer Program
Whole Foods Market Team Members volunteer for 30 days to experience the impact of microcredit and sustainable systems, be connected to the food we sell, learn the language and culture and provide community service. Team Members work on education and construction programs with local community leaders. We currently have volunteer programs in Costa Rica and Guatemala and plan to expand the program to other countries where we have microlending projects over time.
Country Information
Costa Rica is located in Central America, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and has a population of over four million people. Costa Rica has had a relatively longstanding stable political climate and has seen successful implementation of various socioeconomic programs. According to World Bank reports, women make up 54% of the extreme poor in Costa Rica. Of the poorest households, 48% are headed by women.
| People | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| Population, total | 3.9 million | 4.3 million | .. |
| Population growth (annual %) | 2.3 | 1.7 | .. |
| Life expectancy at birth, total (years) | 77.7 | 78.9 | .. |
| Fertility rate, total (births per woman) | 2.4 | 2.0 | .. |
| Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) | 12.5 | 11.0 | .. |
| Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000) | 14.0 | 12.0 | .. |
| Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 15-49) | .. | 0.3 | .. |
| Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) | .. | .. | 94.9 |
| Economy | |||
| GNI, Atlas method (current US$) | 14.6 billion | 20.3 billion | .. |
| GNI per capita, Atlas method (current US$) | 3,710.0 | 4,700.0 | .. |
| GDP (current US$) | 15.9 billion | 20.0 billion | .. |
| GDP growth (annual %) | 1.8 | 5.9 | .. |
| States and markets | |||
| Time required to start a business (days) | .. | 77.0 | 77.0 |
| Market capitalization of listed companies (% of GDP) | 18.3 | 7.4 | .. |
| Global links | |||
| Merchandise trade (% of GDP) | 76.7 | 84.1 | .. |
| Net barter terms of trade (2000 = 100) | 100.0 | .. | .. |
| Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) | 408.6 million | 861.0 million | .. |
| Long-term debt (DOD, current US$) | 3.5 billion | 4.1 billion | .. |
| Present value of debt (% of GNI) | .. | 35.8 | .. |
| Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and income) | 8.0 | 5.9 | .. |
| Official development assistance and official aid (current US$) | 11.3 million | 29.5 million | .. |
| Workers' remittances and compensation of employees, received (US$) | 136.0 million | 421.0 million | .. |
| Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database, April 2007 | |||
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