About us
ERC Nueva Vida supports the 8th Life Panama EcoVillage Project, located on 21 hectares of degraded grasslands, in the Tropical & Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forest biome of Coclé Province, Panama. Through eco-innovation, agroforestry, and bioconstruction they are demonstrating that it is possible to live sustainably on the land, to regenerate ecosystems and create abundance while fostering a vibrant and cooperative community, strengthening the local economy and demonstrating that eco-enterprises provide local economic opportunities and an alternative to moving to the city for employment.
How it works
Volunteering is possible year-round, with a preferred minimum stay of one month, however volunteering for 1 week or longer is also acceptable.
Volunteers generally provide around 4 hours of support per day, sometimes more depending upon the timeline for a specific project and you are requested to contribute 5 days per week with rotating days off in order to cover weekends. The team is very flexible in this regard. Often volunteers will work several long days and then take longer periods free to travel the country – but please communicate your plans clearly with the team.
Skills required
Knowledge and ability to learn and adapt – based on the area of interest.
What will I be doing?
Volunteers help keep up the momentum to take this project to the next level. It takes a lot of time, dedication, and hard work to maintain the food forest and raised beds, tend the nursery, continue reforestation, and slope stabilization efforts, maintain roads, manage water and power, handle marketing and outreach, and hold collaborative educational activities with local educational institutions and the local community. As they say, many hands make light work – plus, the team at Nueva Vida loves interacting with positive, like-minded people who want to live more lightly on this planet.
If you are a creative, values-driven, innovative and “roll-up-your-sleeves and get down to work” type of person you will probably have a great time on site, as there is so much to do. What you’ll be doing depends on your skills, abilities, and interests as well as the project’s priorities during your stay. Here are some of the areas where volunteers have helped in the past, with some future ideas:
- Food – tend to the food forest and raised bed, plant and tend seeds, harvest and process food, design improvements to scale-up production, food preservation
- Water – maintain existing system, design and install improvements such as solar hot water for the showers at the bunkhouse
- Land – reforestation and erosion control, maintain swales and dig new ones
- Construction – building structures for showers and compost toilets, improving existing structures, building benches and tables, designing and building a meditation space, building a cob (quincha) structure (in design phase)
- Electricity – research and design off-grid energy plans, install solar, wind, or water based electrical systems that allow Nueva Vida to disconnect from the grid
- Animals – tending chickens, ducks, goats or whatever animals are on site when you’re there, especially when permanent residents are absent
- Painting – structures require protection from the elements, standard wall/roof painting is great, and there are also many surfaces that could become beautiful murals
- Housekeeping – cleaning rooms and washing sheets between volunteers, keeping the kitchen and deck clean, cooking
- Local Community – activities with the local elementary school, movie nights with eco-education moments, eco-consciousness building with neighbors
- Outreach/social media – maintain and improve the website, handle social media, make connections, handle outreach and finding ways to get the project known
Where will I stay?
Accommodation is in the Rainbow Bunkhouse where there are 3 rooms each with a bunk bed and an additional single. When there are more than 3 volunteers, the rooms are shared. Nueva Vida currently has grid electricity and satellite internet. The bunkhouse deck is covered, and people often gather there to relax, read, or do remote work. There are outdoor showers and an outdoor kitchen, and a compost toilet system.
Everyone is responsible for purchasing their food and cooking their meals. The whole team occasionally enjoys group meals and volunteers have also been known to pool their funds and do joint shopping and cooking. There is no cost to volunteers for food produced on the farm, when available.
Nueva Vida is moving towards a gift economy and appreciate your sincere consideration of providing financial support if it is within your means to contribute $10/day. The funds are used towards specific projects defined together with volunteers, or help cover the farmhand’s salary.
What you can explore in your free time
Nueva Vida borders a river with beaches and a waterfall and there is plenty to explore on the land. Nearby attractions include beaches and mountains ranging from typical local villages to all-inclusive resorts. The nearest town is a typical Panamanian small town with a historic town center, a fresh produce market, and numerous supermarkets and other small shops. A bit further, but within 2 hours, is a town that is set in the crater of an extinct volcano.
How to apply
Interested in signing up? Start with sending us an email
In the email, tell us about yourself, what calls you to apply, your background and the journey that leads you here. Also let us know any experience you have with permaculture and of course your timing. When we receive your message, we will schedule a video call and take things from there.
Want to get to know Nueva Vida better?
Go here to learn more about them or visit their website.
