A Fight against Poverty, Vandalism in Panama

The program called “Tourist Assistants”, is an idea the Minister of Tourism of Panama, Rubén Blades had at the end of the year 2004. He met with a group of youngsters, all of them former gang members from popular areas of Panama in the Washington Hotel in Colon City. In this meeting he explained his desire to implement a program where they could become tourist assistants after receiving full and complete training.

Once the program was accomplished with the former gang members from the San Felipe area who had been trained in tourism and the history of Panama, good manners, safety rules and basic English during a six-month period, during which they received a monthly basic payment with the purpose of helping them leave their old habits and start a new and better life.

The program was intended to last six months only, but due to the positive response it had, it was extended indefinitely and it is still carried on successfully with about 100 participants.

The program now includes others who are in social risks like university students and high school graduates. This program is also being implemented in other areas of tourist interests like in the highlands, beaches, central provinces and in the International Airport of Tocumen.

After interviewing the assistants in their working environment, we realized they were feeling safe and grateful to the program.

So far, the success of this program has been measured based on the satisfaction of San Felipe residents, tourists, and especially the tourist assistants, who have been able to change their lives. In some cases, tourist assistant services have permanently hired them to work in their business.