The Soul Project

Azul Surf Club aims to be the premier destination in Central America for socially conscious travelers.

Our mission is for the hotel to be a catalyst for enabling the people in the local community to improve their futures.

The Soul Project is the non-profit organization that the hotel started to fund the work we do in the community.  Monthly contributions are made to keep working toward achieving our mission.

The Soul Project’s two areas of focus in the local community are:

1)     Expanding educational opportunities for children

2)     Helping empower the women so they are able to better support their children

The Soul Project currently has the following efforts underway:

  • Every Saturday we feed 125 children who are attending high school classes at the local elementary school (there is no high school in El Cuco so the only option is to hold classes for older children on the weekend when primary school is not in session). Cost: $100 per week
  • We want to enable more children to attend the regular high school in the neighboring town so we offer scholarships (minimum one per year) to cover transportation and temporary housing costs during the week.  Cost: $500 per student, per year
  • We want to enable more high school graduates to continue their education to provide them with more marketable professional skills so we are working towards offering scholarships (ideally one girl and one boy) to cover tuition fees at a university or vocational school.  Approximate cost: $2500 per student, per year
  • We are working to ensure that every school in the area has at least one computer per 25 students and that teachers are trained appropriately.  Cost: $250 per (used) computer
  • To help raise self-esteem and keep kids out of trouble and in school we sponsor two soccer teams (one girls and one boys).  Cost: $600 per year
  • The government just started providing children with basic school supplies, but still not enough for the whole year. We purchase pencils, notebooks, crayons and rulers so that students have the tools they need to be fully engaged in learning.
  • We recently helped instigate the formation of a women’s community support group called, “XXXX”.  These women meet weekly at the hotel to discuss issues they face and collectively find ways to solve problems and improve their earning potential.  Cost: None

Ways you can get involved:

  • Come be our guest at the hotel!  Just by choosing to spend your vacation dollars with us, you are helping us contribute towards the efforts listed above.
  • Make a financial donation. Any amount is greatly appreciated and goes a long way toward changing the life of a child.  You can specify where you’d like the money to go or we’ll put it toward the area that most needs funding at that time.  We are an accredited non-profit in the United States so your donation is 100% tax deductible.
  • Donate your professional skills.  We are always looking for ways to improve access to quality health care for the children.  If you are a doctor or dentist and would like to donate a portion of your time to see children while you’re here, please let us know. We will gladly provide you with space for this.