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Hello, I'm Elizabeth Repass, and I work in the New York office of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Next week, along with my colleagues from all over the United States, I will be traveling to Panama. Our base for the trip will be Panama City, and we’ll also spend two days in the province of Chiriqui, which is on the Pacific coast close to Costa Rica.
Panama is a country of contrasts: Caribbean and Pacific, jungle and beach, wealth and poverty. The wealthiest 20 percent of Panama’s population have an income 32 times higher than the poorest 20 percent, and indigenous and afro-descendant peoples are much more likely to live below the poverty line. But we will also see hope and progress: throughout the country, UNICEF helps children lead healthy lives with access to education, security and opportunities.
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| Elizabeth Repass prepares for her upcoming trip to Panama. |
For many of us, including myself, this is the first time that we will see UNICEF in action in the field. In Panama City we’ll see urban projects supported by UNICEF, such as an HIV/AIDS prevention and support program and a youth organization aimed at preventing violence through sports, culture and education. While in Chiriqui, we’ll see programs aimed at alleviating the effects of rural poverty, including schools, a UNICEF-supported and community-built aqueduct and a feeding program for undernourished children. I am so excited for this opportunity to see UNICEF’s work firsthand.
Over the next two weeks, my colleague Jessica Dolan (from our Chicago office) and I will be providing you with regular updates on our travels. As soon as we arrive in Panama City, we’ll be sure to let you know what it is like. I hope that you will explore Panama and UNICEF with our group through these entries.
Comments (4)
This sounds really interesting...please keep sharing. Does the Panamanian area use the school-in-a-box initiative?
Posted by Kelsie Jackson | August 28, 2007 8:19 PM
Posted on August 28, 2007 20:19
Elizabeth,
I'm really looking forward to hearing about your projects in Panama City. I recently took a plane with a UNICEF employee working in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and he told me that he had just been doing some work with the gov. there - convincing them to pass a law about enriching Flour - It seems that the Tajik female population has very high levels of anemia, which could be solved rapidly by enriching flour. Bread, being a daily staple there.
It surprised me that such a simple thing could change so many lives.
Thanks for your work. and really looking forward to reading your blog,
Anne
Posted by Anne-Laure Py | August 31, 2007 4:54 AM
Posted on August 31, 2007 04:54
I am a sister to Nancy Klaus. I am eager to hear about this trip in all the details.
Kathy
Posted by kathy wiseman | September 1, 2007 3:48 PM
Posted on September 1, 2007 15:48
HI Folks - Sounds like you are doing great work. Looking for any information on my family member, Meredith Kadet. Please give her our best. Cousin, Jacki
Posted by Jacki Lamb Anderson | September 11, 2007 9:13 AM
Posted on September 11, 2007 09:13