A Sustainable-Living Centre, in all its facets
We began in 2008 as a sustainable-living education centre, teaching and sharing ways of living sustainably, with an on-the-ground focus on organic gardening and permaculture training.
In the same year, we began formal research into the sustainability of cacao trees, cacao “forests” and their surrounding ecosystems, with a specific focus upon bio-dynamic agroforestry.
We soon 'expanded' our cacao research from forest to bean and communities, with more study into the fermenting and complete processing of cacao and full- circle implications for farmers and families.
Our bio-dynamic farm is 4ha/10acre of jungle space occupied largely by what was abandoned native cacao, now diversified to include over 200 species of fruit trees, medicinal plants and more.
In 2013 we began to focus on truly re-defining “fair trade”, or direct-trade with local/indigenous farmers while preserving and propagating endangered native species, becoming Costa Rica's largest capacity cacao processor.
We continue to receive students, volunteers and researchers to share and expand upon the lessons of sustainability and true sustainable-living in all its myriad of forms and implications.
Our core focus always remains sustainability in all its many inter-disciplinary facets.
How We Share It
Our Mission and Objectives
Who We Are
The Global Creek program has been formed and managed from its inception by Ahki Bamendan, a Canadian with a joint B.Sc. Honours in Environmental Studies and Computing & Information Science, and post-graduate work with foci in Ecology, Environmental Policy and Sustainability.
Before coming to Costa Rica in 2007, Ahki had most recently served as the Executive Director of an environmental not-for-profit in the city of Toronto, specializing in environmental education, watershed protection, forest restoration, wetland creation, volunteer management, and sustainable-living in an urban environment. His focus has long been information-sharing and teaching in innovative, student-driven ways - Whether those students be young children, adolescents, teens or adults. His approach always begins with cultivating the interest and desire for knowledge from within the student, with the firm belief that real change best comes from within; People will most absorb information, learn new ways, alter their habits, and grow when they want to do so themselves, when they understand the rationale, and they thus create their own motivations.
Ahki is a professional change-maker and expert in sustainability, environmental policy and experiential education. During his time in Toronto, he served on environmental advisory boards to Toronto City Council, the provincial government of Ontario and also Canadian federal policy-makers. Ahki is now a Director of Costa Rica's National Cacao Council, and is known as the “voice” for the preservation and restoration of native cacao species.
Ahki has spent the last many years building his own sustainable, positive-impact, off-grid living and learning space, crafting and creating every aspect from farm planning to infrastructure and building all by hand.
At his award-winning positive-impact centre, he manages an international student learning program, designing, constructing and teaching bio-dynamic farming, permaculture approaches and sustainable-living solutions - amongst other topics. He conducts classes, hands-on workshops and courses of learning for students aged 4 to 70 (or more!). Approaches are always customized to the students, and every opportunity is maximized to learn-by-doing.
In Short, his passion is to effect change through teaching and engaging.