Panama Darien Jungle Global Grant Water Project

The second of two Global Grants secured by Roswell Rotary, this project is bringing fresh water to four remote villages in the Darien jungle of Panama. An earlier grant provided for two villages to receive water and are featured in the video.

These projects serve 1600 people (more than half children) who with elevated health and productivity can obtain better education, work more efficiently, and ensure exponentially greater opportunities for them and their children for future generations.

Because of the remote locales - inaccessible by heavy equipment and conventional government project processes - local labor is used extensively by necessity AND design. This resulted in a cash cost estimated to be 80% less than what it would have cost the government to achieve the same results.

And the Rotary project is far more sustainable - as in building the clean water system themselves, the villagers understand it and can repair it, as well as having a pride-filled sense of ownership. They are aware, and deeply grateful, that their lives have been fundamentally altered and improved.

In recognizing our efforts, the government articulated an unexpected dividend from the project - greater national security and community strength. A stronger and more united citizenry in remote - especially border - areas stabilizes the society amid the current immigration crisis and criminal oppression.

We had not expected that. Many good things come from doing good. Seeing Rotarians truly living out "Service above Self" reverberates in ways we may never know.