About This Project

Remote communities in Panamá commonly suffer from waterborne illness. The various sources and identity of point & non-point source pollution are unknown. Conservación Panamá (org) in cooperation with Public Schools, has created a 10-month long water monitoring program for 5th grade students which samples, tests, analyzes and maps the Rios Coclé del Norte & San Juan de Turbé to identify the pollutants and create solutions.

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What is the context of this research?

Waterborne illness is a serious medical problem in remote communities throughout Panama which leads to hospitalization, chronic illness and even death. The absence of any type of infrastructure (roads, plumbing, clean water, electricity and etc) exacerbates an already tenuous situation. Additionally, the government is largely absent in these same communities or unable to complete the necessary investigations to discover the sources of waterborne illness to contribute towards a solution. Conservación Panamá Inc in cooperation with Public School´s have together created an opportunity for hands-on education for public school students in these communities necessary to discover the problem with our water.

What is the significance of this project?

Public schools along the Rios Cocle del Norte & San Juan de Turbe do not have access to contemporary scientific equipment. Additionally, the absence of hands-on experience in science in the public schools disallows a general culture and understanding of science "as a tools" and how it can solve our problems. Conservación Panamá Inc created Water Guardians, in order to work with public schools. We provide hands-on applied science activities in school that supplement the national curriculum in science while also searching for the solution to waterborne illness and contamination in these same communities. Students are given an opportunity to learn concepts in ecology and conservation while answering our primary question: "is our water safe to drink?"

What are the goals of the project?

Our goals are very simple and multi-faceted. Utilize a cooperatively written supplemental science education lesson plan, which complements the national curriculum, to introduce core concepts of water quality, sampling, testing and analysis in public school classrooms over 10-months of the 2021 school year. Present data analysis and results at the end of the school year in communities along the Rios Cocle del Norte & San Juan de Turbe and discuss solutions. Cooperatively write a finalized action plan (under the oversight and professional guidance of CP science staff), using all data and individual community inputs, to bring attention to the problem of water quality and a framework to assist in implementing solutions.