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Trueque Jaco Provides Creative Way for Jaco Community to Help Each Other
Through Trueque Jaco Impact members can trade goods and services
The complete shutdown both locally and internationally has left Jaco businesses and its community financially devastated as many families are now just looking for ways to stay afloat and put food on their table. While Costa Rica’s government is providing some small relief to those in need, many are left with little options or resources. But there is one idea, one project, that has proved to be a creative way to help those in Jaco.
Diapers, pet food, furniture, cleaning supplies, and much more being traded.
Trueque Jaco Impact (Jaco Trade in Spanish) is a service started up by Jaco Impact, a non profit group that focuses on community awareness though educational and environmental initiatives. The service is simple, just an online platform that allows people to post items or services to trade and barter. There are some basic rules, none more important that no monetary funds can be exchanged. The platform is through Facebook as a community group in which you just need to request to join. On the page you’ll see someone looking to exchange an old table for diapers, clothes for cleaning supplies or an old bicycle for food. In just a few weeks the group has grown to nearly 5000 members with many trades being made daily. One member said she made just 5 trades yesterday.
Jaco Trueque Impact Founder Yor Ureña helping with recent beach cleanup
Trueque Jaco Impact was started by the founder of Jaco Impact, Yor Ureña, who had the idea for some time but saw the importance of launching as the Jaco community began to seek for solutions for those in need during the recent shutdown. “The idea is not new, there are other versions of it online, but I started it up for Jaco about a month ago during the start of the quarantine”, said Yor. She is thrilled how well it has been perceived and how much it is helping those in Jaco. In addition to just helping in getting items people really need, Yor said she sees it is also really helping people mentally. “Trueque Jaco Impact is providing a way so that everyone can help. “People are actively thinking, cleaning out their closets, becoming active and finding things that they can use or contribute”. Yor mentioned that she has had some users who have already made as many as 15 trades and is getting great feedback. She is even seeing other communities beginning to replicate the idea and start their own trade group.
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