In March 2026, a WEFTA assessment team traveled to the remote Ñokribo region of Panama to evaluate community water systems and identify priorities for future support. Over six days, the team visited nine water systems serving communities including Playa Balsa, Lago Rojo, Playa Bastón, Cayo Paloma, Bahía Azul, Playa Verde, and Barriada Trottman.
The visit was especially meaningful as our WEFTA volunteers had previously served as Peace Corps Volunteers in the region many years earlier. Upon arriving, they were welcomed with hugs, laughter, tears, and stories as community members recognized them by their Ngäbe names and greeted them as family. The reunions reflected the enduring relationships that have made WEFTA’s partnership in the region so strong.
The assessment revealed aging infrastructure, storm damage, and water shortages in several communities, while also highlighting the importance of active water committees. In Playa Balsa, residents formed two new water committees during the visit, an important step toward future improvements.
One standout was Cayo Paloma, where a well-organized water committee continues to successfully manage a system that serves more than 280 residents. Rehabilitation of the community’s aging intake structure emerged as a top project priority.
The team also distributed donated reading glasses to community elders and identified several potential projects to improve water reliability throughout the region.
The visit reinforced WEFTA’s belief that sustainable water systems are built through strong community leadership, local ownership, and long-term partnerships.
