Maje de Chiman, Darién, Panama
Maje de Chiman is one of the larger communities in the Darien that we work with. Located near Panama’s southern coast, Maje residents are often found fishing in the local rivers or even in the nearby ocean. Don’t be surprised if you are greeted with a hearty meal of fresh fish, rice, and fried plantains to welcome you to the village! As a result of being so close to the ocean, it can be tricky travelling to Maje. Boats can only come and go at high tide, and there is no guarantee when that will happen. Luckily, our Regional Water Technician for the area, Anival, is highly skilled at predicting the tides and is a great boat captain! If you get tired of eating fish in Maje, there is an abundance of delicious mangoes you can pick right off the tree, and a group of kids eager to play tag or kick a soccer ball around is never far away!
Population: 1000
Total Project cost: $50,000
Project: Gravity-fed water system
pARTNER: Engineers without borders
pROJECT Details
phase 1
In phase 1 of our project in Maje, we installed 10 kilometres of new water pipes connecting the community to a fresh water source high in the mountains. We worked with Engineers Without Borders at the University of Missouri to purchase and transport the materials, and to design the distribution system. Once the materials made it to Maje, we oversaw the installation of the pipes which was led by Maje’s water committee President, Anival.
phase 2
In phase 2 of the project, we connected the newly installed water lines to the existing infrastructure in the community. Prior to this project, Maje already had a water tank large enough to support the entire community, and a water filter that was built by a Peace Corps Volunteer in the early 2000s. We oversaw the installation of pipe fixtures and pressure regulating equipment to integrate the new water line with the existing tank and filter. We routinely return to Maje to help the water committee address any problems or maintenance issues that arise. These have included replacing worn out pipes, installing break-pressure tanks, and cleaning the tank/filter.
Gallery
Field Notes
In 1992, a Cholera outbreak in Maje led to the government constructing two water storage tanks in the village. About ten years later, a Peace Corps volunteer constructed a filter next to the storage tanks for the water. This system currently supplies water to Maje about nine months out of the year. The dry season months require the community to haul buckets of water from a local river where the water is much more contaminated.
The current project aims to select a new intake and connect a gravity-fed water system to supply clean water to Maje year-round. This new intake is located 10 km away from Maje. To date, 8 of the 10km of tubing necessary for the system have been purchased and delivered. This tubing will be installed in the coming months by community-contributed labor from Maje.
In October 2019, our team travelled to Maje to assist the community in installing the final pieces of a new 10 km water line. This pipe is connected to a new intake which will gravity-feed enough water to support the entire community of Maje year-round.
Under the leadership of Anival, the Maje water committee President, a group of indigenous volunteers completed the installation. All that remains now is installing 40 feet of metal tubing at the intake site. We anticipate this will be done early next year (2020) when the current at the intake site slows down.
Through the efforts of this project, Solea Water sees a brighter future for the people of Maje. This future includes includes improved health, decreased infant mortality, decreased waterborne illnesses, increased time in the classroom for students, and an overall increase in the quality of life for the people of Maje de Chiman.