Storm Relief for the Indigenous Community at Salt Creek

Flood relief to Salt Creek Ngobe Community

On December 6th. we delivered supplies bought with donations from Bocas expats and local residents to the Indigenous Ngobe community of Salt Creek on Isla Bastimentos (35 minutes by boat from Bocas Town). A letter from the village leader with a list of the families in need had been sent to us several days before. Supplies of food, clothing, and sanitary items were distributed to 27 families there.

Although the heavy rains have ended, many of the Indigenous families may still need some assistance. Most of the people derive very little income from tourism in Bocas. A few do catch and sell sea food to the Bocas Town markets and restaurants or lumber to builders, but most of the island Ngobe are farmers and fishermen. They still work on a barter system of a farmer trading his produce for fish and vice versa. The heavy downpours and strong winds of this storm front destroyed many of the food crops, which are often grown in the less desirable areas for homes, the lowlands (which are unfortunately the most prone to flooding).

With no crops to trade the system of barter broke down. The farmer cannot trade for fish and the fisherman cannot trade or sell his fish locally. Many Indigenous cannot afford to come to town with produce or fish either. Gasoline prices have been fluctuating between $4.30 to $2.85 a gallon, while an average wage is about $10-$12 per day, if they are working. A trip by canoe could take half a day each way depending on the community's location. We do not know how long it will take to get crops growing again and the system back up and running, at least to the level it was already at, but we will monitor this and have a better idea for the future.

We are gathering information on the issues each community is facing as we deliver supplies. Those with pressing medical needs will be addressed as a Priority. Otherwise, we will not be able to return often as fuel and supplies are limited and there are other communities with the same needs. This information will help us with preparations for any future events. During the worse days of the storm there was often no communication with these communities, even when we had cellular service in Bocas Town. We need to look for an emergency communication system to create a network for the future. A system which is independent of cellular service, robust, and easy to use, perhaps the old style short way radio is the answer.