Carbon Credits
Carbon Footprints
Special Needs
Medication
Hospice Care
Health and Hygeine
Impaired Vision
Portable Generators
Recycling
Recycling Plant Waste
Recycling Food Waste
Recycling Clothes
Recycling Tools & Equipment
Recycling Domestic Waste
Recycling Animal Waste
Bee Production
Honey Production
Honey Marketing
Honey Distribution
School in Darien
School Equipment
Water proof building
disabilites
Panamá is a well-known but sadly neglected part of the world where most of the people who populate Darién are in very high risk of permanent eye damage. As with all areas so close to the equator, the effect of the sun's rays has devastating effects on the eyes of those working in the jungle during the day to eke out a living, causing long range vision to be impaired. Dark descends quickly near the equator and the lack of artificial light means that whole families rely on candlelight. The children, who are eager to learn, have to study texts just a few inches from their eyes, which creates huge strain and affects most of them causing headaches and migraines.
Apart from this, the use of candles in such dry conditions is a highly dangerous fire hazard, with some of the huts burning down. Due to shortage of facilities, the schools in Darién are used into early evening as all age groups can not fit into one class , and without artificial lighting the children strain to see the board and can barely see to take notes.
For a very small income, the women work long hours to weave tiny fine baskets, putting immense strain on their eyes, which results in permanent short vision damage. This small income is vital to subsidise basic provisions. It would not take a large fund to pay for the regular visit of doctors (oculists) to test the eyesight of those at risk and write the prescriptions for sight aids and treatment, which we all take for granted.