A 226-kilometer endurance challenge has become a fundraising initiative to improve access to clean drinking water in Indigenous communities in Buenos Aires, Puntarenas.

Costa Rican triathlete Bernal Fonseca Solano used his participation in the Ironman Leeds on August 16, 2026, to raise funds for three Indigenous communities in the region, in collaboration with Fundación CADENA.

The initiative raised ₡5,263,560, thanks to individual donations and a matching contribution from Fundación Caricaco, which doubled the amount initially collected.

From Athletic Achievement to Social Impact

An Ironman consists of 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling and 42.2 kilometers of running, for a total of approximately 226 kilometers.

Fonseca decided to turn each kilometer into an opportunity to raise funds. For the Ironman Leeds, his goal was to collect 226 donations of ₡10,000, with the money going toward drinking-water projects.

The campaign exceeded its initial objective. Donations reached ₡2,631,780, while Fundación Caricaco contributed an additional ₡2,631,780, bringing the total to ₡5,263,560.

Drinking Water for Three Communities

The funds will support projects in three Indigenous communities in Buenos Aires, Puntarenas.

According to information released about the campaign, the funding will help implement rainwater collection systems, storage tanks, pipes and filters to improve access to safe drinking water.

The initiative is being carried out with the support of Fundación CADENA, an organization working in Costa Rica on humanitarian response and water-access projects.

CADENA’s previous work in Buenos Aires demonstrates that water access remains a concrete need in the region. In 2023, the organization installed filters and rainwater collection systems in local communities, benefiting thousands of people, particularly in schools where water services were insufficient.

More recently, in July 2026, CADENA reported that, together with the Municipality of Buenos Aires, it had delivered safe water to three schools in the community, directly benefiting more than 260 people.

A Need Also Reflected in Official Records

Access to drinking water remains a challenge in several Indigenous territories across the country.

The Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) has identified specific projects to improve water supply in Indigenous communities in Puntarenas. Its portfolio of priority projects includes, for example, the construction of drinking-water systems for Indigenous communities in Punta Burica, Golfito, with an estimated beneficiary population of 1,757 people.

These projects are part of broader efforts to reduce gaps in access to essential services in different regions of the country.

Sport as a Platform for Social Impact

For Bernal Fonseca, the goal of the campaign was not simply to raise money, but to use the visibility and effort associated with high-level sport to encourage others to participate.

The athlete has explained that the kilometers covered during a race can take on a different meaning when they become a tool for helping other people. His sporting objective remains to compete at the highest level, while also supporting social initiatives.

This combination of sport and solidarity allows an international competition to have an impact far beyond the finish line.

A Partnership That Doubled the Donations

One of the campaign’s key features was its matching-fund mechanism.

The donations reached ₡2,631,780, and Fundación Caricaco contributed exactly the same amount. As a result, every contribution made during the campaign effectively had twice the financial impact.

The model demonstrates how organizations, companies and individual donors can work together to significantly expand the reach of a charitable initiative.

Access to Water as a Priority

Clean drinking water is fundamental to health, education and everyday life.

CADENA’s experience in Puntarenas shows that solutions can involve different tools depending on the needs of each community, including water purification filters, rainwater collection systems, storage tanks and improvements to distribution networks.

In 2019, for example, AyA inaugurated a new water system in the Malecu Indigenous territory in Guatuso. The project provided continuous access to drinking water to 2,674 people through collaboration between AyA, Indigenous organizations and a local water committee.

These projects highlight the importance of developing solutions adapted to the geographic and social characteristics of each territory.

A Campaign That Goes Beyond a Single Race

The Ironman Leeds was Fonseca’s tenth completed Ironman and the third of four competitions he plans to complete during the 2026 season.

According to the athlete, campaigns connected to his recent competitions have helped raise more than US$25,000 for various social causes, including palliative care, educational scholarships and breast cancer prevention. In Leeds, the chosen cause was access to drinking water.

His next competition is scheduled for November, with the possibility of continuing to use sport as a platform to support new initiatives.

When a Sporting Goal Becomes an Opportunity for Others

The result of this campaign goes beyond the amount of money raised.

The ₡5,263,560 mobilized represents an opportunity to install infrastructure that could improve access to drinking water in communities facing supply difficulties.

The initiative also demonstrates how an individual goal can become a collective action when athletes, donors, foundations and communities come together.

In this case, the 226 kilometers of an Ironman did not end solely at a sporting finish line. They became a way to help more people gain access to an essential resource.

Information Sources

Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA): official information on drinking-water supply projects and Indigenous communities.

CADENA Costa Rica: information on safe-water access projects carried out in Buenos Aires, Puntarenas, and other vulnerable communities.

National Women’s Institute (INAMU): documentation concerning Indigenous peoples and territories in Puntarenas, including the canton of Buenos Aires.

Campaign source: information published by Bernal Fonseca regarding the Ironman Leeds, fundraising campaign and use of the funds.