Peña Bijagual, Darién, Panama

Peña Bijagual is an indigenous Embera community of 122 people residing in approximately 36 households on the Chucunaque River. The community has had water projects done in the past, but currently, there is no working system. They currently obtain water by walking to and from the nearby river to fill buckets or other containers with contaminated water. The community has already organized a local water committee.

One large water tank in the community will add capacity to and reduce the cost of our proposed water system. There is already a site for the well, which our team has confirmed will provide enough water to satisfy the community's water demand. We will be digging a gallery-infiltration well along the historic riverbank of the community. This method has proven successful in numerous projects conducted by Solea Water, including a previous Global Grant completed in 2021.

During an open meeting with the Peña Bijagual community, many residents, along with community leadership, expressed that access to clean water was currently one of the highest priority needs for their community. They are eager for us to work with them, and it was agreed in writing that the community would contribute the necessary labor for implementation free of charge and a monetary portion of the project cost.

Population: 122

Project: Gallery-infiltration well

Project Funding: Rotary International

Peña Bijagual is located in the Embera- Wounaan Comarca in the Eastern Panama province of Darien. Visit our project map to locate the community!