La Venta, Panama
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General Information
| Population* | 199 |
| Number of homes | 40 |
| Avg # of people per home | 5 |
| Electricity | In some parts |
| Corregimiento | Llano Grande |
| District | La Pintada |
| Corresponding Health Center | La Pintada |
| Distance from compounds | |
| Road conditions | Poor |
* 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/Capacites Expressed
The community leaders listed their highest need as a permanent and functional water system. They also mentioned need for latrines in the elementary school and a health center in the community. Community leaders report that the community is very willing to organize and that their leadership team is ready and willing to collaborate.
Students in La Venta may attend a primary and general school, from kindergarten to 9th grade. Approximately 180 students attend this school, which is lead by seven teachers. The school consists of seven classrooms, a lunch room, and an office for the teachers. Students who attend high school must travel 50 minutes each way to the nearest high school in Penonome.
Community members in La Venta currently use a gravity-based aquaduct system for water. The community's Water Committee is responsible for the chlorination of the water and the maintenance of the system. Although community leaders report that the water pressure is sufficient, they also mention challenges with the system breaking frequently and the difficulty in accessing the source of the problem due to distance. Despite these issues, nearly every family in the community is connected to this system, and pays the required $1.50/month for water access.
Currently La Venta does not have a health center, and no health care professionals live in the community. La Pintada, a town located about 15 minutes away from La Venta, has the nearest health center. Community members lack access to dental care except through a school program. Community leaders report the most common illness in La Venta as the common cold, fever, vomit and diarrhea. Nearly all families in the community use stoves instead of small fires to cook, and 75% of families have cement floors. No Health Committee is present in La Venta.
The majority of La Venta works in argiculture, craft-making, or both. Those who work in argiculture most commonly grow corn and rice. Community members do not have local access to credit; the nearest credit access is located at the National Bank in Penonome. Two small business, each small shops, are present in La Venta. Currently community members lack access to any business education.
Currently La Venta lacks an Environment Committee, although some environmental education is provided in the school. Community members burn their trash and do not have a recycling system.
No legal training nor lawyers are present in La Venta, although private legal access can be found in Penonome. Community leaders report that they see very few legal conflicts and that between 75-95% of community members have titles for their land.
Global Brigades will begin our first Medical/Dental Brigades in La Venta in early 2014.
Source of information: Key informant interview and 2010 government census
Date of interview: November 2013
Last Visited: December 16, 2013
Last updated: February 28, 2014