APM Terminals Moín brings joy to youth in partnership with athletic league program

The afternoon of Wednesday, September 11 was filled with a great many smiles and a lot of laughter as fifty young people enjoyed various outdoor activities and healthy pursuits as part of Children’s Day activities. The event was result of a partnership between APM Terminals Moín, community volunteers and local law enforcement personnel. This event took place in Hone Creek, a town in the district of Cahuita in the canton of Talamanca.

During the celebrations for the children and youth of the community’s Athletic Leagues, several traditional Costa Rican games were played, food, and music was shared and prizes were presented. APM Terminals’ Corporate Social Responsibility team took part in the organisation and smooth running of the event, along with students from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) Caribbean branch who are completing their Community University Work (TCU). They were joined by coaches and mentors from local law enforcement and other community volunteers.

The event was arranged in collaboration with the Police Athletic Leagues (LAP), a violence prevention program aimed at young people between the ages of 12 and 18. With the support of community liaison officers, participants develop life skills through sports and outdoor pursuits, which foster trust, open communication and respectful interactions between peers as well as crime prevention personnel. The activation has gained a great deal of success in providing young people with positive role models and provides a deterrent to criminal groups who can target vulnerable or disaffected young people.

More than 200 teenagers from the provinces of San José, Puntarenas, Guanacaste, and Limón, among others, take part in LAP events. According to organisers, these events reduce school truancy and prevent and combat crime, while providing opportunities for young people to develop goals for themselves, not just on the sporting field but in their academic achievements and future career paths.