It was Tuesday, June 10, 2008. Taking advantage that the weather had cleared in the morning and already under the intense heat of the midday sun, I arrived to the city of Penonomé, coinciding with my 18,000 kilometers (11,250 miles) on the road. I was received by Dimas Montenegro, since 1996 director of the SOS Children's Village of Penonomé and Liliana Anri, press coordinator of the organization in Panama City, with whom we went to do some radio interviews in the city center while waiting for the children of the village to return from their school activities. The entry into the village caused a considerable stir and I was quickly surrounded by a group of kids who are eager to see a little more closely the mole in which I moved. The rides on Maira won the sympathy of all present and after a few laps, we went to the gym roof where I would give them a lecture about the trip.

Initially the kids were very introverted and did not ask questions. It was the moms and aunts who broke the ice inquiring about my age and my marital status. Gradually they got more confident and I had to put an end to the presentation or we would have spent the whole day there!

After a revitalizing lunch and refreshed from good shower I began my pilgrimage to the family homes to interact a bit with the kids in every home. In the evening I was once again witness to the extreme weather of the rainy season in these latitudes. It was an incredible downpour which only gave me fear to think that it could happen while I was riding. The amount of water that fell from the sky gave me the impression of being under a waterfall! While I was watching the flood astonished, the kids from the village enjoyed it the most by splashing, walking, cycling and playing the ball, taking advantage of the fresh soak. Two different visions of the same phenomenon...

A Village that collects its harvest

The second SOS Children's Village in Panama is next to the Pan-American Highway, some 150 kilometers from Panama City, capital of the country, on the outskirts of Penonomé, capital of the province. This place was chosen because of the difficult social situation of many families in the region.

The SOS Children's Village Penonomé opened its doors on April 29, 1991. It was built in a circle shape, in a field of about 5 hectares which was donated by the family Araúz.
The Village consists of 14 houses in which they live 126 boys and girls. There is also a guest house, the house's director, a community room, offices, children's playground and a soccer and baseball field.

Since 1996 Penonomé City has a SOS Youth Center in the downtown area, in which young people, advised by a mentor, are preparing for their future independent life. The youth center has 4 houses in the village of Penonomé. The last house was opened in March 2008. The ages of young people vary between 15 and 17 years old and are from the Children's Villages. They are a total of 30 youths pursuing their high school and college degrees.
In total more than 60% of young people have graduated or earned their sixth year while others have continued the university careers graduating with airline pilots, teacher, tourism, education, education in educational, medical technology and construction degrees among others. At present, the village has produced 85 graduates who are embedded in the job market and have their own homes.

Also there are plans to open a new juvenile home due to the number of children turning of age to move to the youth centers.

SOS Children's Villages in Panama

The first contacts in order to build an SOS Children's Village in this country happened in the early eighties. With the support of a local and foreign groups, in 1981 was founded the national association SOS Children's Villages Panama. That same year it began construction of the first SOS Children's Village in a suburb northwest of Panama City. It was built in one of the first pieces of land that was returned to Panama because of the Torrijos-Carter Treaty (1977) between the United States and Panama for the regulation of the right of sovereignty over the Panama Canal and the Canal Zone. On April 20, 1982 opened the Village, with the presence of Hermann Gmeiner in the opening ceremony.

In the mid-eighties, the political situation and the deepening of the crisis with the United States led the country into a severe economic crisis. In order to ensure the sustenance of the family, both father and mother were forced to work, and single mothers had to move to large urban centers to find work. Under these conditions the most affected were children and teenagers who did not have the appropriate care and in many cases were abandoned. In response to this the picture, which still remains in force, SOS Children's Villages reacted in the following decades with the construction of SOS Children's Villages and additional care institutions.

The Tenth Ibero-American summit held in Panama City in November 2000 attracted the attention of many political figures who later visited the SOS Village in Panama City expressing their commitment to future generations and their consideration for the work of SOS Children's Villages.
Currently in Panama there are three SOS Children's Villages (Panama City, Penonomé and David), and the building of the SOS Children's Village in Columbus is in progress. Also there are three SOS Youth Facilities and a vocational training center.

 

-

Would you dare being a part of it?

The SOS Children's Village is a big family. You may also be part of it supporting the Organization to continue its good work. Would you add your support?

To make donations directly to the SOS Village in Panama, you can do so through the following bank accounts:

Account name: SOS Children's Villages

Account Numbers:

HSBC: 066-036898-001

General Bank: 03-03-01-003090-8

Account Type: Checking

To donate by check, it should be made to:

SOS Children's Villages RUC 163-2-711 DV 93

e-mail: pan.padrinazgo@cableonda.net

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SOLIDARITY!

Acknowledgments

To Dimas Montenegro, director of the SOS Village Penonomé: for the warm reception and support during the visit.

To Liliana Anri, press coordinator of SOS Villages Panama: by arranging the appearance in the local media and getting to Penonomé to coordinate my passage through the city.

To Marilys Guerrero, of Radio "My Favorite": for the interest shown in this journey and the work of SOS Children's Villages.

To the administrative staff of the Village and the collaborators: for coming to lend a hand in organizing and coordinating the visit.

To all the mothers, aunts and children of the SOS Village Penonomé: for the great affection that you conveyed during the moments we shared together.