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About Guacuco Guna

Guacuco Guna is an indigenous community of 30 homes with a population of

approximately 165 people. Located in Panama Este, it is situated along the

Pan-american Highway, the main stretch of road throughout Panama. As an

indigenous Guna community, they are governed by the Guna Congress as well

as the traditional Panamanian legal system. Guacuco Guna is a primarily

agricultural community, relying on the production of corn, rice, yucca, plantains,

and coffee. There are no schools or health centers within the community; so

residents must travel by bus for education and healthcare. Working in

collaboration with Business Brigades and IPACOOP (the Panamanian

governmental organization that oversees cooperatives), Guacuco’s credit and

savings cooperative Jirhe received legal status in August of 2013. Medical

Brigades also serves the community with yearly mobile medical clinics.

 

Guacuco Guna's Economic Challenge

The majority of the community members have agriculturally based businesses and small farms. A common issue is a lack of manpower to adequately maintain the fields, and quite often it is the lack of access to capital which results in farmers being unable to contract day workers to increase production. Larger financial institutions

(which are inaccessible due to distance and do not approve loans to community members without a fixed income) make it very difficult for local microenterprises to grow and thrive. Through IPACOOP, credit and savings cooperatives have been established in parts of Panama Este and Darién in attempts to increase access to

credit, build savings accounts, and fund local community projects, where the democratically controlled cooperative maintains all profits, which can then be used to fund other projects.

 

Microfinance in Guacuco Guna

Building specialized workshops of a variety of educational, microfinance, and business consulting topics, brigaders from all over the world have contributed to the development of Guacuco Guna’s credit and savings cooperative, along with the skill building training and education of its members and local microenterprise owners. In August 2013, Guacuco Guna’s cooperative, Jirhe, finally received legal status from IPACOOP, resulting in the ability to approve loans larger than $75 which can expand their membership pool, grow local projects, and legally receive Global Brigade’s $1000 seed capital donation for future project loans.

 

One of the cornerstones for the success of future projects is the sustainable nature of a community cooperative or community bank: investments are approved through loans granted to community projects; interest is then paid back on the loans—both large and small—and 100% of profits stay in the community, enabling the funding of more loans for more projects in the community. In Guacuco, nearly all adults are members of the cooperative. Capitalization of the cooperative is directly linked to the development of Guacuco; the growth and success of their cooperative means growth and success for the community.

 

Cooperative JIRHE in Guacuco Guna

• Cooperativa or Coop refers to a savings and loans cooperative!
• The Coop is composed of community members from Guacuco Guna, though a majority of members are from nearby communities.
• The men in the community hold the leadership positions. The majority earn their living by working in agriculture.
• The Coop of Guacuco Guna currently offers Personal Loans, Personal, and Christmas savings, giving members of the community access to financial inclusion

 

Board of Directors

President: Nestor Perez

 

Vice President: Jaime Valdes

 

Secretary: Boris Jaén

 

Treasurer: Hector Perez

 

 

Microfinance Brigades Chapters that Worked in Guacuco Guna
Microfinance Brigades Chapter	Month	Volunteers
Arizona State University	May 2015	15

 

 

Visit Other Programs in Guacuco Guna

Global Brigades strives to implement a model of Holistic Development in communities through a system of collectively implementing health, economic, and education initiatives to strategically meet a community's development goals. Learn more about the other programs being implemented in Guacuco Guna:

 BusinessDental  Environmental  Human Rights Medical  Public Health