Panama
Building Healthier Homes
Access to a reliable, affordable, and adequate water and sanitation services are an essential part of life, but are lacking in rural Panama where 10% of the population do not have any access to sanitation services, and among those who do, 31% use non-hygienic latrines. Public Health Brigades fill this gap in Panama by working together with community members and our local technicians to construct “sanitation stations” (bathroom, shower and water-storage tanks). Volunteers not only directly fund and build these projects themselves they support our long-term sustainability through the follow up of previously constructed projects and facilitate workshops about hygiene and sanitation practices.
Stronger public health infrastructure contributes to higher quality of life, expand local economies, and promote social inclusion while laying the foundation for environmental conservation practices; this is a tremendous impact in one of the most biodiverse regions of the world.
Public Health Brigade –
7 Day Sample Schedule
The first day after arriving in Panama, volunteers will travel to their partner community, meet the Basic Sanitation Committee leaders, and support a water project implementation. The following day volunteers will learn about the community’s health challenges and previous projects, then they will prepare plans and materials for a public health construction project. For the remainder of the Brigade, volunteers will work with masons and families to construct a variety of in-home public health infrastructure for families, such as showers, latrines, and water storage tanks. On the final day of Brigade, volunteers will present educational workshops to the community about public health topics such as hygiene, waste and water management, latrine maintenance, or caring for the environment. The Brigade will close with a fun cultural exchange activity for the volunteers.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | ||
| 8:00am | Airport Pick up and Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | |
| 9:00am | Community Tour & Introduction to Basic Sanitation Committee | Design Public Health Project Construction | Public Health Project Construction | Public Health Project Construction | Public Health Project Construction | Breakfast | |
| 10:00am | Depart for Airport | ||||||
| 11:00am | |||||||
| 12:00pm | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | ||
| 1:00pm | Community Tour / Needs Assessment | Initiate Public Health Project Construction | Public Health Project Construction | Public Health Project Construction | Children Education Workshop / Despedida (Goodbye) with Community | ||
| 2:00pm | |||||||
| 3:00pm | Settle In | ||||||
| 4:00pm | Introduction to Global Brigades | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | |
| 5:00pm | Free Time | Free Time | Free Time | Free Time | Free Time | ||
| 6:00pm | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | |
| 7:00pm | Public Health Introduction | Public Health Project Explanation | Reflection | Reflection | Public Health Meeting and Charla Preparation | Public Health Final Reflection | |
| 8:00pm | |||||||
| 9:00pm |
| Day 1 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | |
| 8:00am | Airport Pick up and Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 9:00am | |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | Settle In |
| 4:00pm | Introduction to Global Brigades |
| 5:00pm | |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Public Health Introduction |
| 8:00pm | |
| 9:00pm | |
| Day 2 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Community Tour & Introduction to Basic Sanitation Committee |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Community Tour / Needs Assessment |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 5:00pm | Free Time |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Public Health Project Explanation |
| 8:00pm | |
| 9:00pm | |
| Day 3 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Design Public Health Project Construction |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Initiate Public Health Project Construction |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 5:00pm | Free Time |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Reflection |
| 8:00pm | |
| 9:00pm | |
| Day 4 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Public Health Project Construction |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Public Health Project Construction |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 5:00pm | Free Time |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Reflection |
| 8:00pm | |
| 9:00pm | |
| Day 5 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Public Health Project Construction |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Public Health Project Construction |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 5:00pm | Free Time |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Public Health Meeting and Charla Preparation |
| 8:00pm | |
| 9:00pm | |
| Day 6 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Public Health Project Construction |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Children Education Workshop / Despedida (Goodbye) with Community |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 5:00pm | Free Time |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Public Health Final Reflection |
| 8:00pm | |
| 9:00pm | |
| Day 7 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | |
| 8:00am | |
| 9:00am | Breakfast |
| 10:00am | Depart for Airport |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | |
| 6:00pm | |
| 7:00pm | |
| 8:00pm | |
| 9:00pm | |
Costs and Fundraising
In order to participate in a Public Health Brigade, all volunteers must meet a Donation Goal by fundraising as part of their commitment to a Brigades Chapter. This is not considered a payment for a specific trip, but support towards Global Brigades’ Holistic Model.
Donation Goals for Panama Brigades start at $2,440 USD*.
Once you meet a set Donation Goal, you’re eligible to join us on the ground to see your fundraising efforts put into action by participating in a Public Health Brigade.
When you participate in a Public Health Brigade, your airfare, ground transportation, food, lodging, and emergency insurance are all covered. The funding you raised also supports all the necessary costs for program implementation, such as brigade equipment, local professionals, coordinators, translators, and support staff.
Global Brigades’ travel team will work with your Brigade to book airfare**.
Once a volunteer meets their Donation Goal, they have up to 1 year to participate in a Public Health Brigade.
*coming from outside the US, Canada, or the UK? Talk to our team about donation goals.
** for UK Chapters, airfare is not included in your Donation Goal
Donation Goals for 2025 Panama 7-Day Public Health Brigades
| Volunteers | Donation Goal (USD) | Donation Goal (CAD) | Donation Goal (GBP) |
| 10+ | $2,440 USD | $2,850 CAD | £960 GBP |
*Chapters with less than 10 volunteers must be paired with another chapter.
Healthy Household Fund
A portion of each Donation Goal supports our Healthy Household Fund which enables year-round public health initiatives in partner communities carried out by our local teams. Specifically, the fund supports families to (1) be able to purchase healthy household products (e.g. latrines, eco-stoves, water filters) by subsidizing the savings that the families invest, (2) planning and follow-up of healthy household project distribution and installation, and (3) on-going project monitoring and impact evaluation.
Safety
Volunteer safety will always be our absolute top priority. Global Brigades recently engaged Askari International Security, an industry leader in international risk assessment, to complete a comprehensive risk/safety assessment of all brigade operations. A full explanation of safety precautions and procedures can be found on our “Safety & Insurance” page.
In Panama
- Global Brigades is an active member of OSAC (the Overseas Security Advisory Committee) and receives up-to-date security and safety briefings from the U.S. State Department;
- Established relationship with Senafront to provide security escorts to those groups working in the Darien region;
- Full-time local Global Brigades medical personnel on-call at all times;
- Adherence to the IVPA standards of international volunteering.
Lodging Facilities
Global Brigades does an annual safety review of all lodging facility partners each year. Lodging facilities provide pillows, bedsheets and towels. Facilities have showers, toilets and sinks with running water (no hot water) as well as filtered clean drinking water dispensers onsite. 24-hour security is provided at all facilities. Conditions are most similar to a comfortable summer camp, with dormitory-style sleeping and shared bathrooms.
Public Health Brigades are assigned to lodging facilities based on proximity to the partner community they will be working with.
Asamblea de Dios
Campamento Asambleas De Dios, San Carlos, Panama is a large facility that sits only about 800 meters from the main road(Via Panamericana) approximately 2 hours from Panama City. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Global Brigades Panama has been using the San Carlos facility since March 2015. Emergency medical care is available at the Health Center in the town of San Carlos, approximately 2 minutes from this facility.
El Palmar
The El Palmar hostel sits along the Pan-American highway, approximately 30 minutes after passing Lago Bayano and approximately 10 minutes before reaching the town of Torti. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of green mountains and farms’ pastures. Global Brigades Panama has used El Palmar for several years, and it has housed hundreds of brigaders. Emergency medical care is easily accessible in Torti.
Hotel Avicar
Hotel Avicar sits along the Pan-American highway, approximately 40 minutes after passing Lago Bayano and is in the center of the town of Torti. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of green mountains and farms’ pastures. Also, brigaders staying at Hotel Avicar get see how life plays out in a rural town in East Panama. Emergency medical care is available
in Torti.
Hotel Tonosi
It is located on the Pan-American Highway in the Meteti sector, it has cozy rooms, of four and five people, with color television and air conditioning. It has a covered terrace and countryside landscapes. He is known for his good food and great hospitality.
Pro Niños
Pro Ninos was one of the first lodges used by GB in its trajectory in the Darien area. It is a beautiful camp in which you can enjoy its variable flora and fauna. It has wooded areas and open spaces to recreate in contact with nature.
Iguana Eco Resort
It is a wide place that offers the experience to the volunteers of being in contact with nature. It offers various activities such as hiking. It has cozy rooms with air conditioning, 2 swimming pools and a meeting area. It is located near the city of Penonomé. It is the ideal place to rest after a long day of work in the brigade
Oasis de Bendición
As the name implies, it is the ideal place to relax after a hard day. It has beautiful landscapes, spacious bedrooms with cabins to encourage coexistence among volunteers. It has a terrace for meetings, multiple areas for indoor recreational activities. It is located a few meters from the main road which provides good access to it.
Hotel Ojos del Rio
Hotel Ojos del Rio sits in the center of Panama City, about 40 minutes from Panama’s international airport. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of Panama City’s skyline. Global Brigades Panama began using this hotel in 2018 to accommodate any brigades that needed to stay in Panama City. Brigades do not typically stay in Panama City; Global Brigades Panama only uses this facility during emergencies and cases involving extenuating circumstances. Emergency medical care is available in several hospitals in the city.
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This DONATION is non-refundable
This DONATION is non-refundable Global Brigades, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your donation will be used to further Global Brigades' mission and will be allocated toward the program you selected. This donation will not be utilized to fulfill a chapter or a volunteer's fundraising goal. Read Global Brigades, Inc's full Donation Refund Policy here.
Looking to donate to support a volunteer's fundraising goal? Find their Global Brigades Chapter by searching our Chapters map and then selecting their upcoming brigade. If you need help finding their chapter, you can ask the volunteer to send you their brigade's specific website link or you can contact us.
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