The community of Playón Chico (Ukupseni) is an island of the San Blas archipelago, in Panama, inhabited by the Kuna indigenous group. Peace Corps volunteer Jane Apgar raised $1,325 through Peace Corps Panama Friends for this project.

  •  The island is approximately half a square kilometer in area and is about 200mts. from the mainland.

Old Bridge in Playón Chico
Old Playón Chico Bridge

  •  Most members of the community are subsistence farmers.
  •  The agricultural land is on the mainland.  The airstrip where daily flights and supplies come in from Panama City is also on the mainland, right opposite the island.
  •  The Ukupseni primary school and the only high school in the region is next to the airstrip.  The regional office for the Ministry of Education is next to the school.
  •  The residents of Playón Chico have always felt the need for a footbridge to join the island with the mainland where the children go to school and the adults go to work every day.

Three years ago construction of a footbridge to join the island and the mainland was begun with funding from the Panamanian government through FIS (Fondo de Inversion Social).  

  •  An NGO from a nearby community was awarded the bid by FIS and were in charge of the construction.
  •  There was mismanagement of the funds and they ran out, before the bridge was completed. FIS is currently pursuing legal action against the responsible parties.  
  •  It is known that the community of Playón Chico was in no way responsible for this mismanagement.  
  •  For two and a half years the community has been patiently waiting for the completion of their badly needed footbridge.  The government is unable to say if or when the funds will be made available for its completion.  The community, after months of pressuring, has only just gotten permission from FIS to continue the project with their own funds.   

After a community analysis was done by the PCV and members of the community, it has been established that the footbridge was the number one priority in Playón Chico.  

  •  A committee was formed and has organized fundraising activities, but the poverty of the area made it extremely difficult to raise the money needed.
  •  Nonetheless the community was motivated and united in its goal.
  •  The part of the bridge which had been completed was rapidly disintegrating and had to be rebuilt unless the project was completed within the next year.

Peace Corps Panama Friends helped raise funds to complete the bridge.  We and other donors helped facilitate:

  1. The passage of community members to their farms to carry out their daily activities as subsistence farmers.
     

  2. The passage of people to and from the landing strip – those arriving or leaving for Panama City and those selling their produce and receiving supplies from the commercial planes landing on the airstrip.
     

  3. The passage of all 600 students, 45 teachers and staff to the primary, middle, and high schools.
     

  4. The passage of staff of the Ministry of Education and ANAM.
     

  5. The passage of community members to the cemeteries located on hilltops on the mainland.
     

  6. The passage of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints to and from their place of worship.
     

  7. The possibility of future plans for a landfill to be located on the mainland.
     

  8. The possibility of future plans of community members to move their residence to the mainland.

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