Paso a Paso - Step by step towards a just world

 In Panama, despite economic growth in recent decades, 12.9% of the Panamanian population live in poverty. In addition, inequality measured by the Gini index, at 49.8, is higher than in few countries worldwide (World Bank, 2023). This is particularly noticeable on the outskirts of the cities, where informal communities are emerging in response to the lack of affordable housing. There are 414 of these settlements across Panama, some of which have sprung up in the rapidly growing metropolitan region around Arraiján in the immediate vicinity of the Panama Canal.

These informal settlements have inadequate infrastructure. In addition to non-existent or inadequate access to drinking water, electricity, gas and sewage systems, the accessibility of the houses is also deficient, as there are no paved roads and paths. This applies in particular to the settlement of Huertos del Edén, which is built into a steep slope. Legal uncertainty makes access to this basic infrastructure difficult. As a result, residents are forced to travel on unpaved and dangerous paths, which can lead to accidents, especially during rainfall, and make everyday journeys to work and school more difficult. This significantly limits mobility for the residents themselves but also restricts public services and increases social isolation and stigmatization.

TECHO Panama wants to change this. Active in Panama since 2010, it has built 1,060 emergency shelters and mobilized over 19,000 volunteers. The construction of footpaths and stairs on these steep slopes facilitates mobility and improves the quality of life of the residents. Part of the project has already been implemented. Support us to realize the remaining 30 meters to the connecting road!

The fundraising campaign will run until the end of October 2024 and the project is scheduled to be implemented shortly after the end of the campaign. We will be happy to keep you as a donor regularly informed about the progress of donations and the project here on Betterplace. You can also subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on the campaign and our other activities as Gemeinsam TECHO e.V.