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| © Frank Susa | |
| Girls from the Taboada school's student government wear traditional Panamanian dress to greet their visitors from UNICEF. |
Frank Susa is in Panama for a conference with UNICEF’s national committees from around the world. Prior to the conference, UNICEF Panama took several visitors to learn about its important work for children in a variety of Panama City's most marginal neighborhoods.
At first, it might not seem so novel to consider putting children's needs at the center of a school's mission. But in Panama City, the idea has far-reaching implications for how a school works and how successful it can be.
On Thursday, we visited one such school in the neighborhood of Tocumen, which has been successfully implementing its "child friendly" approach to education for four years with the support of an alliance between UNICEF, Panama's Ministry of Education and COPA Airlines.
Tocumen is a fast growing neighborhood largely populated by an influx of Panama's indigenous peoples, but with very little infrastructure and even less governmental support. Unemployment is high, so the cost of private education is outside the reach of most. But public schools here have been underfunded and incapable of supporting the growing needs of children in the area for years. Not only are qualified teachers in short supply, but basic things like running water and food are sometimes scarce.
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| © Frank Susa | |
| Kids from La Siesta Elementary School gathered with enthusiasm to welcome us. |
The moms I spoke with took great pride in the fact that they are such an integral part of their children's schooling. They all expressed confidence that their children will have more opportunities and greater success in life than they ever did because of the school's unique advantages.
The Taboada School's child-friendly environment is in such high demand that it cannot meet the needs of all the children who want to attend. As many as 1,000 more children from the area are in search of a similar high-quality educational experience. Recently, an overflow school, La Siesta Elementary School, was established to try to meet the demand. But it does not yet have enough classrooms, teachers, and basic resources to compare with Taboada.
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| © Frank Susa | |
| This computer lab at the Kiwanis Club Gymnasium was made possible with support from UNICEF. |
Also in partnership with the nearby New Generation Movement of El Chorrillo, UNICEF sponsors an annual soccer tournament in the neighborhood that was first organized after a violent incident killed an 11-year-old boy. The New Generation Movement is a communal safe space that seeks to improve the lives of children and teens in the area.
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| © Frank Susa | |
| Kids come to the gym after school as safe haven from El Chirrillo's prevelant gangs. |
Everywhere we went in Panama City, one thing was evident: UNICEF is making a real difference in the lives of this country's least-advantaged children. The kids we met all greeted us with warmth and enthusiasm, each one expressing sincere gratitude for the opportunities they'll have because UNICEF is there for them. Their smiles have made me more proud than ever to be a part of this incredible organization.