UpTica empowers women in the rural communities of Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica, by providing them with alternative income sources. UpTica reduces gender inequality by creating opportunities for gender training, cross-gender collaboration, mutual encouragement, and personal growth.

It introduces upcycling as an approach to value waste, encouraging a sustainable behavior of reducing the consumption of single use bags. This incentivizes community ownership and development in the creation of a local economy.

Recently, the venture reported that it has been selling up to 30 masks per day and that community members have become highly involved in leadership roles. For more information, please visit www.uptica.org.