Procesos de extensión universitaria del Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica y el empoderamiento de mujeres en Sarapiquí: Reflexiones sobre el desarrollo comunitario desde las percepciones de cinco mujeres.

Introduction. Extension projects promoted at the university level serve as mechanisms for the betterment and growth of the rural communities. These projects might end up being longitudinal, where the constant mentoring and coaching is fundamental to continue helping the communities. This study examined the impact of extension projects that focused on rural tourism and entrepreneurship to a cooperative. Objective. The descriptive study seeks to portray the importance of university extension processes during 2015-2018 regarding community development, based on a qualitative case study of five women in Sarapiquí. Methodology. The methodology was based on a case study as a detailed description. The focus was descriptive (Baxter y Jack, 2008; Flyvbjerg, 2011; Lichtman, 2013). The case study focused on the experiences of five women, who were trained during 2015-2018 in rural tourism and entrepreneurship coordinated by the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Results. The results suggest that women empowerment is highly linked to their own personal process, but also to university extension projects. Also, it was evidence that several public institutions have contributed to the community growth. On the other hand, the participants indicated their participation in community activities with various institutions for the growth of the community, which required leadership and empowerment to express their needs and carry out their personal and communal projects. However, it was emphasized that more processes are needed to fully booster the community growth, the empowerment process, and the personal and professional skills. Conclusions. The women of the study highlighted how the institutional and academic alliance promote community growth, thus the importance to reflect on this and continue promoting community participation to guarantee constant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]