A total of 445 residents from the Río Indio basin have been trained by the Panama Canal in nine communities across Panamá Oeste, Colón, and Coclé, to foster new economic income opportunities for families that contribute to local development and as part of its strategy for the sustainable conservation of the area's resources.
Participants, both men and women, acquired practical knowledge through 17 courses covering seven trades: basic masonry, electricity, plumbing, outboard motor repair, haircutting and coloring, Creole food preparation, and the making of breads, sweets, and preserves.
Lasting between 80 and 150 hours, the workshops combine technical knowledge with practical instruction to allow attendees to apply what they have learned. In areas such as masonry, electricity, and plumbing, demonstrations and practical sessions enabled them to familiarize themselves with techniques and develop their skills during the training.
Opportunities for Entrepreneurship
In San Cristóbal, Coclé, learning to make breads, sweets, and preserves has sparked an interest in entrepreneurship, as Edilsa Martínez recounts, "learning this course, one can now make bread and go out to sell it, and that generates an income for oneself." Elvia Morán shares this expectation when thinking about the benefits for her home, saying that "it would be a factor in improving my family's economy."
Emileni Hernández Pérez, from the community of Guayabalito, in the province of Coclé, also sees an opportunity to start a business from the outboard motor repair workshop she attended. "Tomorrow, that will give me an income, to have our own initiative to have our own workshop," she affirms.
For Adán Camerana, a resident of El Congo in Colón and participant in the basic masonry workshop, the value of the training lies in acquiring knowledge that he can continue to use: "What one learns stays with one. What I learn to do today will stay with me for life. We can put it into practice and, of course, make some money, which is the daily sustenance for our family."
Training in Communities
To bring training closer to residents, activities were carried out in the communities themselves, mainly in schools and community centers, with locations in El Congo, El Limón de Chagres, Santa Rosa de Chagres, and Los Cedros, in Colón; Guayabalito, San Cristóbal, and Boca de Uracillo, in Coclé; and Tres Hermanas and Los Uveros, in Panamá Oeste.
Given the community response to the program, the Panama Canal plans to open five new courses in the coming months for another 125 residents in plumbing, haircutting, making breads, sweets, and preserves, and Creole food preparation.
The training is part of the local development approach that the Panama Canal has promoted for 26 years in the communities of the traditional basin, and, since 2024, in the Río Indio basin, to strengthen the capacities of residents and protect natural resources, based on the characteristics and needs of each territory.
