SAN BUENAVENTURA, PUNTARENAS. A developing project in southern Costa Rica is bringing together animal rescue, environmental stewardship, education and community living with a vision for a more regenerative future.

Known as Axis Mundi Global, the project is being developed in San Buenaventura, where its founders hope to establish a permanent, no-kill animal sanctuary alongside educational, agricultural and community initiatives.

But rather than waiting for the full vision to take shape, Axis Mundi is currently focused on a more immediate opportunity: securing a house and lot that could become the project’s first operational animal-rescue facility.

A place to begin

Axis Mundi Global, a registered nonprofit organization and NGO with 501(c)(3) status in the United States, has identified a property in San Buenaventura that could allow the organization to begin rescue operations much sooner.

The proposed facility would eventually accommodate approximately 30 to 50 dogs and cats and provide veterinary care, rehabilitation, emergency response and shelter for animals awaiting adoption or long-term care.

The property would serve as the first phase of a larger rescue operation, with additional land designated for future expansion as the organization grows.

A $50,000 fundraising campaign

To secure and prepare the property, Axis Mundi Global has launched a $50,000 GoFundMe campaign.

Funds will help finalize the property agreement, contribute toward the down payment, complete architectural and engineering plans, establish a launch reserve and begin the improvements and site preparation needed for rescue operations.

The organization has already invested in the project, including purchasing a dedicated rescue vehicle to respond to reports of injured, abandoned and at-risk animals.

Readers can support the campaign here:

Help Build a Lifeline for Costa Rica’s Rescue Animals — GoFundMe

An education model rooted in nature

Education is another important part of Axis Mundi’s long-term vision. The organization plans to dedicate approximately 4 acres of its 84-acre property to a Rooted in Nature Learning Center, based on the existing InspireRoots learning cooperative in Taos, New Mexico.

Founded by Taylor Martin and Rob Treaphort, InspireRoots is a self-directed, child-led learning community for children approximately ages 5 to 12 and older. Rather than following a rigid, standardized curriculum, children pursue their interests and questions with guidance from experienced mentors. Academic foundations are combined with practical skills, creativity, nature connection and community participation.

The model is already operating in Taos, but the intention is not to simply transplant an American school to Costa Rica. Instead, the Osa Peninsula center would develop its own living curriculum, shaped from the beginning by local children, families, educators and mentors.

In the Costa Rican setting, learning could naturally grow from the surrounding rainforest, local traditions, food, crafts, tides, seasons and wildlife. The proximity to the animal sanctuary would also create opportunities for children to learn through direct involvement with rescued animals, connecting science, empathy and environmental stewardship.

The learning model is built around five core ideas: self-directed learning, creative empowerment, multi-age mentorship, sustainability and stewardship, and community leadership. Children are given a voice in their education while mentors provide the structure and support needed for them to develop academic, social and practical skills.

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Part of a larger vision

The rescue facility and Learning Center are part of Axis Mundi’s broader vision for an approximately 84-acre regenerative community incorporating animal rescue & sanctuary, education, permaculture, food production, wildlife habitat and community spaces.

While the larger development remains in its planning and fundraising stages, the San Buenaventura property offers an opportunity to begin putting the animal-rescue mission into practice now, while the educational and community components continue to develop.

The Learning Center itself is also planned in phases. Current plans identify infrastructure such as roads, water, power and sanitation as an initial foundation serving both the animal-rescue hub and future education facilities, followed by the design and construction of the dedicated Learning Center.

For Axis Mundi, the immediate goal is straightforward: create a safe, permanent place for animals that currently have nowhere to go, while laying the foundation for a place where future generations can learn to care for animals, people and the natural world.

The organization hopes that these first steps will eventually become the foundation for a much larger effort serving animals, families and the environment across the region.

To support the project and help reach the $50,000 goal, visit the GoFundMe campaign: Help Build a Lifeline for Costa Rica’s Rescue Animals

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