Bridges Across Borders

A baby turtle, about to be released into the ocean.

Here are some of the children of La Esquelita Por la Paz.

BAB has been working to create sustainable economic alternatives for the indigenous and refugee communities in the Darien Gap rainforest region that spans across the border of Panama and Colombia. These projects were initiated in 1994 in Choco, Colombia, until massacres in the town necessitated an exodus for a majority of the residents. Since then the project focus has been across the border in Panama to deal with the needs of the refugees and the receiving community. The Darien Projects are now based in Jacque, Panama since the war in Colombia has made it impossible to continue the projects in Choco.

In the United States, BAB gives presentations in order to raise awareness about the ongoing tragedy in this region and how the US policy “Plan Colombia” contributes to the suffering.

	DARIEN GAP PROJECTS
COLOMBIA / PANAMA -- Darien Gap Projects -- Wayuu Solidarity Campaign -- Bogota Library Appeal -- Meals on Heels -- Pre-Schools for Peace -- Reading Glasses -- Recycled Paper Co-op -- Ecology Projects -- What You Can Do MEXICO -- Music Across Borders UNITED STATES -- Creating Food Security -- Internship Program -- Let Peace Fly -- Video Presentations		Some small but incredibly meaningful projects BAB has initiated and supported in the Darien include: Esquelita Por la Paz (The Little School for Peace): One of the first projects was to get a preschool started where 3-5 year olds can be safe and nurtured, while Mom has a chance to pursue other avenues for a few hours each morning. The children can be assured of a nutritious drink and snack each day and the teachers can make a small but incredibly meaningful salary. BAB has initiated two pre-schools in Jacque, which are now self-sustaining community services. “Meals on Heels” Program: BAB was determined to ensure that the elders of Jacque are fed one good meal each day. We thus began a program called “Meals on Heals”, which provides a hot meal to the most indigent elders in the community. Two cooks are employed to prepare and deliver the meals to the elders’ houses. This assures at least one good meal and someone to notice their condition each day. Women's Recycled Paper Cooperative: Thanks to a seed money grant from the Peace Development Fund, a cooperative was formed to provide economic support for the refugee women who make recycled paper cards, which has brought some hope to a desperate situation. Eco-Projects: Beginning with the recycling of paper by the Women’s Papermaking Cooperative, BAB has been working to alleviate the garbage problem in the Darien. More recently, BAB has been instrumental in helping to get an eco-high school established in Jaque, where we have initiated a methane digester project in order to facilitate the processing of organic wastes. Also in Darien, we have assisted with tree replanting and have released thousands of turtles to sea, exchanging the turtle eggs for funds to purchase chicken eggs instead. Fair Trade Crafts: BAB buys the beautiful crafts that are created by the artisans of the communities where we work and uses the profits to fund the service projects we support in their communities. In Darien, we sell the refugee women’s recycled paper cards, the lovely baskets woven by the indigenous Waunaan women and the Tagua seed (or Vegetable Ivory) that is carved by the Waunaan men, and molas from the Kuna people. Wayuu Solidarity Campaign: BAB is coordinating the US end of a campaign in solidarity with the displaced Wayuu indigenous community of Bahia Portete, Guajira, Colombia. This community suffered a massacre at the hands of local paramilitaries linked to the US-backed Colombian Army on April 18, 2004. In April 2007, BAB will be sending a delegation to participate in a temporary re-occupation of Bahia Portete to honor the dead and assert the people’s right of return.
	BAB has been working to create sustainable economic alternatives for the indigenous and refugee communities in the Darien Gap rainforest region that spans across the border of Panama and Colombia. These projects were initiated in 1994 in Choco, Colombia, until massacres in the town necessitated an exodus for a majority of the residents. Since then the project focus has been across the border in Panama to deal with the needs of the refugees and the receiving community. The Darien Projects are now based in Jacque, Panama since the war in Colombia has made it impossible to continue the projects in Choco. In the United States, BAB gives presentations in order to raise awareness about the ongoing tragedy in this region and how the US policy “Plan Colombia” contributes to the suffering.
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