La Yeguada, Panama
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General Information
| Population* | 700 |
| Number of homes | 150 |
| Avg # of people per home | 4.7 |
| Number and % of children |
(0-5): 80 (40%) (5-12): 120 (60%) |
| Electricity | No |
| Corregimiento | Las Huacas |
| District | Nata |
| Corresponding Health Center | La Huaca |
| Distance from compounds | 1 hour |
| Road conditions | Fair |
* 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
The top needs expressed by the key community members are access to clean water and proper nutrition for all community members. La Yeguada is proud of its sense of collaboration and motivation to progress.
La Yeguada has an elementary school with about 70 students from kindergarten to grade nine. Four teachers work at this school, which has four classrooms. The school also has a kitchen, lunchroom, office, computer lab, and field for recess. For students who continue to 10-12th grade the secondary school is located about 1 hour away from the community.
The community members in La Yeguada get their water from a gravity aqueduct system, which is maintained by the seven-person water committee. The system was constructed in 2004, however water only runs sporadically, and the water pressure is very low. The water is not regularly chlorinated or purified. All of the families are connected to the water system, which costs $0.50/month, however only about 5% of the community is currently paying this fee.
La Yeguada does not have a community health center; the closest health center is located 1.5 hours away by foot, in La Huaca. The most common illnesses seen in this community are the common cold, intestinal parasites, high blood pressure, and cavities. A seven-member health committee is active in the community, and a midwife lives and works there as well. Most families have pit latrines, and 1/4 of the community has a gas burning stove. About 95% of families have dirt floors in their homes.
Nearly all the community members in La Yeguada work in agriculture, producing corn, rice, yuca, and bananas. There is no access to credit available in the community, but community members can seek out credit in the larger town of Nata. There are two small businesses in the community: two kiosk shops.
La Yeguada does not yet have an environmental committee, nor are any reforestation projects taking place at this time. People mostly dispose of trashing by burning or burying it. A waste management system is not in place. Environmental education is not present in the school.
No legal training or services are present in La Yeguada, though community members can travel to Nata for legal assistance. The main legal issues that need support in the community are family disputes, dilenquency, small-scale crime, and land titles.
Source of information: Key informant interview and 2010 government census
Date of interview: March 2014
Last updated: April 2014