Panama
Microenterprise Consulting
Panama Empowered Consulting Program gives students the opportunity to take part in the economic transformation of under-resourced, rural communities. A high percentage of the rural population in Panama lives in poverty and is financially excluded.
On consulting program, students will work directly with clients to provide practical, effective consultations that help community members grow their businesses. To further ensure sustainability and lasting impact, students will deliver financial literacy workshops to provide community members with lasting knowledge. Every program will consult the caja rural, or community bank, which lends capital to community members and allows members to open savings accounts. A portion of student donations will go directly to the community bank to increase lending capacity.
Empowered Consulting Program –
7 Day Sample Schedule
Planning your Brigade in Panama? Check out this sample schedule outlining the typical 7-day trip your Chapter will attend.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00am | Airport Pick up & Transport to Lodging Facility | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | |
| 8:00am | Business Programme Introduction/ Goals for the Week | Transport to Community 1 | Transport to Community 2 | Transport to Community 2 | Transport to Community 1 | Departure from Compound & Transport to Airport | ||
| 9:00am | Educational Workshop Presentation at Community 1 | Getting to know your Community / Getting to know your Client | Educational Workshop Presentation at Community 2 | Student Group Presentations to Clients at Community 1 | ||||
| 10:00am | Breakout Sessions (Consulting strategy) | |||||||
| 11:00am | Transport to Community 2 | |||||||
| 12:00pm | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | |||
| 1:00pm | Transport to Community 1 | Client Consultation at Commmunity 1 | Client Consultation at Commmunity 2 | Client Consultation at Commmunity 2 | Student Group Presentations to Clients at Community 2 | |||
| 2:00pm | Getting to know your Community / Getting to know your Client | |||||||
| 3:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store | ||||||
| 4:00pm | Final Deliverables Preparation | Cultural Immersion Activity | ||||||
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store | |||||
| 6:00pm | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | ||
| 7:00pm | Introduction to the Business Staff | Reflection | Reflection | Reflection | Reflection | Final Reflection | ||
| 8:00pm | Settle In | Educational Workshop Preparation | Analyze your business clients / Preparation for Next Day Clients | Analyze your business clients | Completion of Business Analysis, Business Plan and Deliverables | Celebration | ||
| 9:00pm | Time off | Time off | Time off | |||||
| 10:00pm | Lights Out/Quiet Hours | Lights Out/Quiet Hours | Lights Out/Quiet Hours | Lights Out/Quiet Hours | Lights Out/Quiet Hours | Lights Out/Quiet Hours |
| Day 1 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Airport Pick up & Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 8:00am | |
| 9:00am | |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Introduction to the Business In-Person Staff |
| 8:00pm | Settle In |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | Lights Out/Quiet Hours |
| Day 2 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Business Programme Introduction/ Goals for the Week |
| 9:00am | |
| 10:00am | Breakout Sessions (Consulting Strategy) |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Transport to Community 1 |
| 2:00pm | Getting to know your Community / Getting to know your Client |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Reflection |
| 8:00pm | Financial Educational Workshop Preparation |
| 9:00pm | Time off |
| 10:00pm | Lights Out/Quiet Hours |
| Day 3 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community 1 |
| 9:00am | Financial Educational Workshop Presentation at Community 1 |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Client Consultation at Community 1 |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Reflection |
| 8:00pm | Analyze your business clients / Preparation for Next Day Clients |
| 9:00pm | Time off |
| 10:00pm | Lights Out/Quiet Hours |
| Day 4 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community 2 |
| 9:00am | Getting to know your Community / Getting to know your Client |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Client Consultation at Community 2 |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Reflection |
| 8:00pm | Analyze your business clients |
| 9:00pm | Time off |
| 10:00pm | Lights Out/Quiet Hours |
| Day 5 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community 2 |
| 9:00am | Financial Educational workshop Presentation at Community 2 |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Client Consultation at Community 2 |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store |
| 4:00pm | Final Deliverables Preparation |
| 5:00pm | |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Reflection |
| 8:00pm | Completion of Business Analysis, Business Analysis, Business Plan and Deliverables |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | Lights Out/Quiet Hours |
| Day 6 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community 1 |
| 9:00am | Student Group Presentations to Clients at Community 1 |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | Transport to Community 1 |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Student Group Presentations to Clients at Community 1 |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility/Local Store |
| 4:00pm | Cultural Immersion Activity |
| 5:00pm | |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Final Reflection |
| 8:00pm | Celebration |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | Lights Out/Quiet Hours |
| Day 7 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Departure from Compound ∧ Transport to Airport |
| 9:00am | |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
Safety
Student safety will always be our absolute top priority. Global Brigades recently engaged Askari International Security, an industry leader in international risk assessment, to complete a comprehensive risk/safety assessment of all consulting program operations. A full explanation of safety precautions and procedures can be found on our “Safety & Insurance” page.
Lodging Facilities
Global Brigades does an annual safety review of all lodging facility partners each year. Lodging facilities provide pillows, bedsheets and towels. Facilities have showers, toilets and sinks with running water (no hot water) as well as filtered clean drinking water dispensers onsite. 24-hour security is provided at all facilities. Conditions are most similar to a comfortable summer camp, with dormitory-style sleeping and shared bathrooms.
Empowered Consulting Program is assigned to lodging facilities based on proximity to the partner community they will be working with.
Asamblea de Dios
Campamento Asambleas De Dios, San Carlos, Panama is a large facility that sits only about 800 meters from the main road(Via Panamericana) approximately 2 hours from Panama City. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Global Brigades Panama has been using the San Carlos facility since March 2015. Emergency medical care is available at the Health Center in the town of San Carlos, approximately 2 minutes from this facility.
El Palmar
The El Palmar hostel sits along the Pan-American highway, approximately 30 minutes after passing Lago Bayano and approximately 10 minutes before reaching the town of Torti. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of green mountains and farms’ pastures. Global Brigades Panama has used El Palmar for several years, and it has housed hundreds of brigaders. Emergency medical care is easily accessible in Torti.
Hotel Avicar
Hotel Avicar sits along the Pan-American highway, approximately 40 minutes after passing Lago Bayano and is in the center of the town of Torti. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of green mountains and farms’ pastures. Also, brigaders staying at Hotel Avicar get see how life plays out in a rural town in East Panama. Emergency medical care is available
in Torti.
Hotel Tonosi
It is located on the Pan-American Highway in the Meteti sector, it has cozy rooms, of four and five people, with color television and air conditioning. It has a covered terrace and countryside landscapes. He is known for his good food and great hospitality.
Pro Niños
Pro Ninos was one of the first lodges used by GB in its trajectory in the Darien area. It is a beautiful camp in which you can enjoy its variable flora and fauna. It has wooded areas and open spaces to recreate in contact with nature.
Iguana Eco Resort
It is a wide place that offers the experience to the volunteers of being in contact with nature. It offers various activities such as hiking. It has cozy rooms with air conditioning, 2 swimming pools and a meeting area. It is located near the city of Penonomé. It is the ideal place to rest after a long day of work in the brigade
Oasis de Bendición
As the name implies, it is the ideal place to relax after a hard day. It has beautiful landscapes, spacious bedrooms with cabins to encourage coexistence among volunteers. It has a terrace for meetings, multiple areas for indoor recreational activities. It is located a few meters from the main road which provides good access to it.
Hostal Finca Ely
Hostal Finca Ely is located in Tambo, Coclé about 2 a half an hour drive from Penonomé Centre, in West Panama. The facilities of the hostel gives the brigaders a good place to spend time, they offer great spaces to reflect or to organize a good game in our sports area and on the other hand you will enjoy the pool and their Comfortable rooms.
Hacienda Doña Victoria
Hostal Hacienda Doña Victoria is located in the county of Campana, Capira District, just 40 minutes from Panama City (West Panama). The facilities of the hostel gives the brigaders a good place to spend time, they offer great spaces to reflect or to organize a good game in our sports area and on the other hand you will enjoy the pool, hammocks, BBQ and their Comfortable private rooms with air conditioning.
Hotel NOVOTEL
Novotel sits in the center of Panama City, about 40 minutes from Panama’s international airport. Global Brigades Panama began using this hotel in 2018 to accommodate any brigades that needed to stay in Panama City. Brigades do not typically stay in Panama City; Global Brigades Panama only uses this facility during emergencies and cases involving extenuating circumstances. Emergency medical care is available in several hospitals in the city.
Lindsay Lamberti
Business Brigade Volunteer, Carnegie Mellon University 2023
I went into this brigade with almost no business experience, so I was worried I would not be able to help or that I would be confused the whole time. My fears quickly melted away when we began to get to know the communities we were working with. Our clients were so generous, selfless, and welcoming. We got to learn about their culture and lifestyle. They shared their craft with us and were so eager to learn all they could about growing and expanding their businesses. Despite the language barrier, I formed such strong connections with these people, and I have gained an incredible new perspective of the world. I would not trade this experience for anything, and I cannot wait to go on my next brigade.
Business Empowered Consulting Client in Panama
First of all, thank you for all your care, effort and love that you showed always and every time you were with us. I thought it was a very special and incredible activity. I liked the teaching, the patience and the drive to want to teach. You are incredible people and I was really glad to have you and to be able to learn more about topics that we need to understand. Totally grateful for everything and the only thing I can say is thank you… Simply, thank you.