JAnine licare and aislin livingstone , founders of KSTF, at 9 years old, with their first volunteer
Monkey Bridge Program – 130 rope “bridges” over roads allow the endangered Titi monkey population to safely move about their territory; the monkey population has increased from only 1,200 when the program started to 3,700 today.
Reforestation — KSTR has worked with Costa Rica’s National Park Service and schools to plant nearly 7,000 rainforest trees. The trees are also critical to the survival of the Titi monkey.
KSTR Wildlife Rescue Center – this rescue center rehabilitates wounded, sick, and abandoned rainforest animals. Dr. Pia Martin, KSTR’s Wildlife Regente, works with a wildlife biology and veterinary team and volunteers to provide state-of-the-art care for approximately 200 wild animals rescued each year.
Volunteer Program –KSTR establishes relationships with schools around the world and takes part in international research projects.
Kids Saving the Rainforest
Janine Licare
Co-founder of Kids Saving the Rainforest
I write to you today to let you know, not so much about the organization, Kids Saving the Rainforest (KSTR), but more about how it got started. KSTR is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization that I founded in 1999 with my best friend Aislin Livingstone.
Here is our story:
Being the young kids that we were, we decided that we wanted to start making money all on our own. We started out by making papier-mâché bottles and painted rocks to use as paper weights. We set up our little (but crazy-cute) roadside stand on a “recyclable” cardboard box, selling our items to passing strangers.
We did make a couple of bucks from some random passersby, but our intentions to save the rainforest had not yet developed. And so, we would take our earnings from our hard work to an ice-cream parlor/deli conveniently located right next to my friend’s house. Our main thoughts were—to INDULGE! Keep in mind that we were not your typical ordinary children. We took much more pleasure in eating the “finer foods”—beef stroganoff, pesto, sushi, or spinach—than mere chocolate chip ice-cream. With a big smile on our faces, we would take our earnings over to the deli and order a roasted half chicken with a side of pasta/potato salad and a pickle to go. Who really needs a mango ice-cream sundae?
Now, you are probably wondering…. Soooo, where did Kids Saving the Rainforest come from if all these two girls would do is eat?
Well, the truth is, after we had our fill of chicken (which really only took a week or two), we decided that maybe our money could be used for something a little more useful. Living in Costa Rica, an area with so much biodiversity, we decided we should probably do something to protect that biodiversity.
So, my friends, there you have it! The real birth of KSTR, a story few know, but many will now laugh about (hopefully!)
If you would like to know more about Kids Saving the Rainforest, PLEASE log onto our website at www.kstr.org
Tropically yours,
Janine Licare
Founder and Spokesperson
Kids Saving the Rainforest
