This article was graciously contributed to The Cost Rica Star by Gustavo Gutiérrez of GGS Photography, you can see many great pictures related to this article on The Costa Rica Star Facebook page.

Jorge Sossa was born on September 7th, 1933 in the city of Puntarenas Costa Rica, almost 79 years ago. Since he was little he felt an interest for invention and creativity, characteristics which have led him to turn into a master in the art of recycling.

“Sossa” has lived his whole life by a very personal and humble philosophy “I like to learn” and it is that quality which has him surrounded by old books, bills and documents with an incalculable historic value.

Sossa’s countenance and wisdom have their origin, from his father who was very strict, born during a time where the father figure was as solid as a rock and his teachings were never forgotten “My father taught me to look, hear and be quiet, that kept me away from a lot of trouble,” comments Sossa.

At an early age, he started farming with his father, they cultivated cocoyam, yucca and plantains. At the age of 14, with a work permit given by the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI), he started his working life outside of home, he worked three years as a messenger earning 100 colones a month, his work involved walking Esparza, Puntarenas all day from 6am to 10pm, most of the week. At the age of 17 he started working as a rail track worker on the railroad that was being built towards the Pacific, “On Section 18 – A117 from Roble, Puntarenas” comments Sossa with certain pride.

At the age of 25, he entered as a laborer at the Planta del Consejo Nacional de la Producción (CNP), where he met his wife Benigna, with whom he had 15 children. He started hauling rice sacks which weighed 200kg each, a year later the plant manager Mario Alvarado, offered him the position of “Rice Weigher”, Sossa knew how to read, write and add to perfection, the minimum requirements for the position he was requesting back then. He worked 8 years for the CNP, earning 450 colones a month.

“I’ve liked moving up, prospering. Not having fear of being an intellectual or being prepared to give advice. I’ve always tried to be humble and try to learn from others, allowing them to teach me things I do not know, because it is advancement for me.”

Time passed between other jobs and with 7 children, 2 bags and 150 colones he arrived in Cartago at the age of 39, where the story of recycling started. He worked as a security guard, a builder and as a construction worker until the age of 74, after not being able to find a job his ingeniousness and creativity took him to build a wooden cart and walk the streets looking for garbage which could be reused or sold, earning his living that way for a long time.

Five years ago he started working for the Molino Recycling Center in Cartago, separating waste and recovering books from the garbage to be able to sell them and earn money to take home.

“You find all sorts of things, fortunately the boss lets me recover some books to sell. I’m very grateful with him for allowing me to earn a living this way.”

Sossa spends his days among garbage and gold. For him, reading and books mean an extra income for his family. The diversity of books which he has come to fills 2 warehouses on his property. People from San Jose, Cartago and foreigners visit him regularly.

“Some take a book, magazines or a recipe book, others ask for more specific books. I have one client who only buys books from the ‘40s, another only about anatomy and a professor in Literature who comes and takes up to two boxes full of books.”

Books such as “El Manual de Remedios Caseros” (The Home Remedies Manual), checks from the former Banco Anglo and the Credito Agrícola de Cartago dated 1926, form part of his treasures found amongst the forgotten, he also has old currency from China, Hong Kong and Costa Rica.

Sossa wakes up every day with his mind set on working, in spite the fact that he has had several operations and has been on the brink of death, his spirit and energy are limitless.

“I feel good working it’s good therapy for me, if I stay here at home, with the pension I have, I’d probably have to ask for economic help from people constantly.”

If you need old books or are looking for a lost treasure, you can look for Jorge Francisco Sossa Sossa, every Saturday morning in the Central Park in Paraiso, Cartago. Let him know you read the article and he will be glad to sell you a good book.