El Salto

  • Overview
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Business

Overview


El Salto is located in biodiverse Panama and celebrated its transition with Global Brigades in April of 2021. Community members have access to credit through an established and thriving community bank which will support continued investment in local businesses and home improvement projects for families within the community. People in El Salto are primarily dedicated to agriculture. The community is on the wait-list for eventual Holistic Model implementation as part of Global Brigades’ strategic plan in Panama.

Province: Darien
District: Cemaco

Homes : 33
Population : 420
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Yes
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : No
Community Health Workers : No
% of Homes with Latrines : 100
Education in the Community : Up to 11th grade
Distance from Lodging Facility (km) : 42 km

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Salto but has not yet begun with the Medical Brigades program. Now in the planning phase, mobile clinics and Community Health Workers training will start as soon as feasible.

Distance from Nearest Health Center : 42 kms
Community Health Workers : No
Common Illnesses in Children : Diarrhea, Respiratory Infection
Common Illnesses in Adults : Hypertension, Diabetes, Vision loss

Dental

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Salto but has not yet begun with the Dental Brigades program.  Now in the planning phase, mobile clinics will start as soon as feasible.

Distance to Nearest Health Center : 42 kms
Community Health Workers : No
Common Illnesses in Children : Diarrhea, Respiratory Infection
Common Illnesses in Adults : Hypertension, Diabetes, Vision Loss

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

EL SALTO’S ECONOMIC CHALLENGE

Community members in El Salto lack access to financial resources within the community. The majority of community members do not have bank accounts and there are only limited informal forms of credit available.  For example, a person could obtain ‘credit’ at a local store by buying something now and paying later, simply adding it to their ‘tab,’ but there would be no formalized credit transaction.  Larger financial institutions do not approve loans to community members without a fixed income, making it difficult for local micro-enterprises to grow and thrive. Most community members cite the distance to the nearest bank as the main discouragement to having a personal savings account. Even if individuals wish to travel the distance, not all community members can become members of these financial institutions–cooperatives require monthly membership fees, savings accounts often require a fixed income, and the cost of travel provides an additional barrier.

38

Volunteers

21

Loans Disbursed

Local Businesses : Convenient store, refreshment stand, agriculture producers
Economic Activities : agriculture
Community Bank : Yes

EL SALTO’S MICROFINANCE SOLUTION

The Global Brigades Business and Microfinance Team trained two new Community Banks in El Salto in March 2021. This encouraged the opening of more savings accounts, growth of seed capital, and upon the completion of six months of executive board training, the Community Bank began giving out loans to bank members to spur economic growth and home improvement projects.

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN EL RETIRO:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Baruch College CUNY Business Kambia February 2022 26 Norwich Free Academy October 2022 12

Local Reference Points

View the map to see the closest volunteer lodging facilities, hospitals, and other relevant points of reference.

  • Feature