Veraguas, Panama Debriefing Report

As the 2007 Veraguas Project comes to a close, the Volunteers are very proud of and excited about all that they have accomplished. After midterm, work continued moving forward in each community and most projects are close to completion. Some of the projects are community parks, fences, signs, trashcans and murals with the children. In addition to the projects, the Volunteers have continued with their youth workshops, expanding upon topics such as creative expression, leadership and the environment.

This weekend Project Staff and Volunteers had the privilege of working with Panama Verde, a youth-led organization that promotes environmental conservation and youth leadership throughout Panama, and the Ministry of Social Development in Panama.  Together the groups held a huge youth retreat on July 29 from 9 am until 3 pm. AMIGOS Volunteers brought youth counterparts from their communities to take part in a day of team-building and leadership activities. Each activity was designed as a challenge, and teams worked together to solve problems and reach creative and constructive solutions.  Over 150 youth were present, and the day was a huge success. The event was made possible through a generous grant from the Foundation for Amigos de las Américas.

The Volunteers will be headed to debriefing at a small retreat location in the middle of an ecological park. Debriefing will be an opportunity for them to reflect upon their accomplishments, share their experiences with the other AMIGOS Volunteers and look ahead towards the future as they prepare themselves to return home.