For more than three years, a woman from the United States has provided advocacy and hope to young victims of sexual exploitation in Costa Rica. Penny Williams, a businesswoman from Southern California, was recently profiled in the Valley Roadrunner, a newspaper serving the community of Valley Center near San Diego. Ms. Williams’ non-profit organization, Seeds of Hope, emerged from an experience she encountered while visiting Costa Rica a few years ago:

In November 2011, Penny Williams was in Costa Rica on a bridge over the Tarcoles River with two students from San Diego. Previously, she brought mission teams to Costa Rica with the sole intent of restoration such as revamping an elementary school playground in a low income area and the pediatric ward of the Quepos Hospital. She and the students (both girls) were scouting for their next project later that year. They had heard a little about Human Trafficking, so it was on their radar. They stopped to pray and asked God to “open and close doors” and to show them quickly what to do for their next project.

 

Two American men in their late sixties were on the bridge looking down at the crocodiles and began a casual conversation. They openly shared that they were from Denver, Colorado, and that they were on a sex vacation. Penny quickly realized that this was a Divine Encounter and asked many questions. The men revealed that they had been with girls from Costa Rica, The Dominican Republic and Netherlands that week while in Costa Rica. They shared details on where to find girls, the prices, and even the fact that many of the girls were under age. The conversation was random and surreal.

A few days later, Ms. Williams arranged a meeting with the director of the pediatric ward at the hospital in Quepos and other high-level officials from the Office of Judicial Investigations (Spanish initials: OIJ), National Children’s Trust (Spanish initials: PANI), and the Ministry of Public Health. At that meeting, Ms. Williams proposed the idea of operating a shelter for minors who have been sexually exploited.

These days, Seeds of Hope operates six clubhouses directed by Costa Rican young adults in the Costa Rican cities of Dominicalita, Parrita, Jaco, Tarcoles, and Palomo. The clubhouses are located in neighborhoods where sexual exploitation has occurred. About a dozen classes per week are taught at each clubhouse in the subjects of English, Vocational Skills, Healthy Relationships, Spirituality, and Personal Growth. Graduate from the program advance to a teacher’s aid position.

The Seeds of Hope program aims to teach young people to live a healthy, productive life, with a vocation that they are passionate about. The behavior modification program rewards them for good behavior such as class participation, being on time, showing responsibility, and good attendance. There is also a jewelry design program that provides weekly groceries to moms whose families are at risk; the creations can be purchased from the Seeds of Hope website. The leaders program teaches students to rise above the others as role models.

According to the Valley Roadrunner, Seeds of Hope is expanding into Roots of Hope, a program for adolescent males in Costa Rica who are at risk of participating in the drug trade.