Description
The purpose of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) project is to work with Panamanians (community members, youth, teachers, health promoters and partner agencies) in capacity building that promotes a healthier lifestyle in regards to water, sanitation, health and hygiene. We aim to help these groups gain skills and promote individual and collective efforts at achieving and maintaining an improved quality of life through empowerment, education, organization and peer support. Volunteers accomplish this by working in partnership with their community members and Panamanian government agencies, such as Ministry of Health staff. Volunteers conduct formal workshops as well as informal household-level trainings to develop the critical leadership, organizational and technical skills that community members need to effectively address water, sanitation and health needs in their community.
Volunteers also work to build the capacity of local water and health committees to become legalized and trained as per the Panamanian Government Ministry of Health’s strategy for rural water resource management and public health in Panama. A main component of the Volunteer’s work is to identify community leaders to work within the areas of health promotion and sanitation-related capacity building initiatives. Through a variety of educational activities and events, Volunteers raise awareness and train community members on prevention of water-borne illnesses and effective water, sanitation, and hygiene practices in addition to supporting local efforts in addressing other priority health areas such as nutrition and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Volunteers may also have the opportunity to collaborate with local government or private donors on infrastructure improvements. This work will focus on training and supporting community members on developing proper water storage and treatment, natural resource management, and techniques for the construction, maintenance, and repair of appropriate water and sanitation technologies, such as gravity fed aqueduct systems, rainwater catchment systems, pit latrines or composting latrines. In addition, with the main focus of building local capacity, Volunteers will ensure sustainability by supporting community groups and households so they can construct, maintain and repair locally appropriate water and sanitation solutions on their own.
The purpose of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) project is to work with Panamanians (community members, youth, teachers, health promoters and partner agencies) in capacity building that promotes a healthier lifestyle in regards to water, sanitation, health and hygiene. We aim to help these groups gain skills and promote individual and collective efforts at achieving and maintaining an improved quality of life through empowerment, education, organization and peer support. Volunteers accomplish this by working in partnership with their community members and Panamanian government agencies, such as Ministry of Health staff. Volunteers conduct formal workshops as well as informal household-level trainings to develop the critical leadership, organizational and technical skills that community members need to effectively address water, sanitation and health needs in their community.
Volunteers also work to build the capacity of local water and health committees to become legalized and trained as per the Panamanian Government Ministry of Health’s strategy for rural water resource management and public health in Panama. A main component of the Volunteer’s work is to identify community leaders to work within the areas of health promotion and sanitation-related capacity building initiatives. Through a variety of educational activities and events, Volunteers raise awareness and train community members on prevention of water-borne illnesses and effective water, sanitation, and hygiene practices in addition to supporting local efforts in addressing other priority health areas such as nutrition and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Volunteers may also have the opportunity to collaborate with local government or private donors on infrastructure improvements. This work will focus on training and supporting community members on developing proper water storage and treatment, natural resource management, and techniques for the construction, maintenance, and repair of appropriate water and sanitation technologies, such as gravity fed aqueduct systems, rainwater catchment systems, pit latrines or composting latrines. In addition, with the main focus of building local capacity, Volunteers will ensure sustainability by supporting community groups and households so they can construct, maintain and repair locally appropriate water and sanitation solutions on their own.
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Benefits
Health coverage, Housing, Living allowance, Non-competitive eligibility (federal jobs), Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
Education Requirements
College Graduate
Desired Languages
English, Spanish
Other Conditions
Prohibits paid work outside of the sponsoring agency at any time
Subject to criminal background check