Packing preparation work
Hellen Lobo
Distribution of profit to families
Community in packaging work
Norma Rodríguez
The ADIO represents 110 families of the Ostional community. They are the main partners responsible for implementing the actions of habitat maintenance, collecting eggs according to plan management and conservation and packaging of eggs. Of the ADIO sales, 70% are distributed to members and 30% are reserved for local development such as construction of roads, bridges, health centers and school resources. The direct benefit that each family receives are: an endowment of eggs for consumption, an equitable distribution of family income, scholarships for students, aid to elderly and pregnant adults.
Ostional Development Association is a legal institution for engaging communities for collective benefit of the community. In this case the management and conservation of turtles is a model project developed by the community and for the community. The ADIO has partners and participates in assemblies of the people. It also has a Board of Directors who bears the burden of the project. They also form committees to monitor the actions of the management plan.
The participation of all people in the project is critical to creating the collective consciousness about sustainability. Jobs are evenly distributed: beach cleaning and habitat management mainly engage men; protection of turtle infants and release of turtles, mainly women. Surveillance by ADIO is done mostly by men; and supervision of tourists who observe the arrival, by youth. In this way, the contribution of the project to local community welfare and conservation is evident. When communities see a benefit for their families in the wildlife, they are able to organize themselves in order to protect those resources that provide that well-being.