La Moneda, Panama
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General Information
| Population* | 350 |
| Number of homes | 150 |
| Avg # of people per home | 2-3 |
| Electricity | Yes |
| Corregimiento | Rio Iglesias |
| District | Chepigana |
| Corresponding Health Center | Santa Fe |
| Road conditions | Good |
| Cell Phone Service | Good |
* Population does not reflect how many patients will be seen on medical
brigades as many people from surrounding communities come seeking
Medical Brigades medical attention.
Top Needs Expressed
La Moneda has expressed interest in a multitude of improvements and projects within the community. They want to improve their community's access to quality healthcare, their education system, and the environment of their community.
The community of La Moneda has a primary school that instructs children between the grades of Kindergarten and 6th grade. The school is located adjacent to the Pan-American Highway. The primary school has 2 teachers that instructs 36 students. The building has 4 classrooms, a kitchen, a dining area, a teacher's office, and a playground. Any La Moneda students that wish to continue their education beyond the 6th grade must travel to Zapallal's secondary school; the ride to Zapallal is about 15 minutes by car.
La Moneda's water system was established by the Panamanian government's water authority, IDAAN. In addition, the community has a water committee of 5 volunteers that oversees the maintenance of the system. The community members do not know when the system was constructed or where its source is located. The entire community is connected to the water system, and each house pays a montly cost of $5.25.
The community of La Moneda does not have its own health center; the closest one is in Santa Fe, which is about 30 minutes away by car. The three most commonly reported illnesses in La Moneda are hypertension, the common cold, and intestinal parasites. Global Brigades is currently the only organization that provides medical clinics in the community.
From the public health aspect, La Moneda is doing fairly well. 90% of the families have latrines, everyone cooks their meals by gas stoves, and 90% of the community's homes have cement floors. About one third of the families have a water hilfter in their home in addition to the chlorination provided by IDAAN.
Homes in La Moneda are typically constructed of cement blocks, zinc sheets, and wooden paneling. The vast majority of the community members earn their livelihood by working in agriculture; the main farming products of La Moneda are beans and plantains. The fraction of the population that does not work in agriculture typically works in unskilled labor. There is one small business, a store, that operates in La Moneda; the store is also a source of credit for the community.
La Moneda's educational structure currently does not have an environmental curriculum. Many community members however do grow some vegetables at their homes: peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs such as culantro. The lack of environmental education is most evident in the community's waste management system: burning and burying trash.
La Moneda does not have legal aid available within its community, so community members must travel to a local government municipality to resolve legal issues. The three typical legal conflicts in La Moneda deal with child alimony, domestic violence, and land titling.
A few other organizations work in La Moneda. The organization Pro Niños de Darién assists the community with its educational system by providing school lunches for the students. A governmental organization associated with the national government's First Lady also assists the community by building chicken coops.
La Moneda is exciting to continue hosting medical/dental brigades from Global Brigades Panama!