Building Trust and Hope in Darien, Panama
While investment has been made by the government to construct potable water systems in the indigenous communities of Panamá Este and Darién over the last 30 years, the majority of communities persist without functional systems to provide the quantity and quality of water required for their basic needs. The result is a tremendous burden on the economy, health, and development potential.
Partnering with the Panama Nordeste Rotary Club, Alpharetta, Milton and Griffin Rotary Clubs and Rotary International Global Grants, we joined indigenous community leadership to construct water and sanitation infrastructure in two communities for an approximated cost of $64,162 achieving cost-effective, sustainable WASH development in the region.
Nueva Esperanza is an indigenous Embera community of 300 people located on the
Tupiza River. The community has never before had a water project done in their community.
They currently obtain water by walking to and from the nearby river to fill up buckets or other
containers with river water.
Nazareth is an indigenous Embera community of 262 people located on the Chico River
in the Darien Province of East Panama. They too have never before had a water project
done in their community. They currently obtain water by walking to and from the nearby river to
fill up buckets or other containers with river water.
Project construction began in March. We anticipate completion in March 2022 and will travel to Panama for a community kickoff.