Wanamera Emberaa Chagres is our very own community-based NGO. Community friends helped us to create it when we were first organizing our village many years ago. Wanamera Emberaa Chagres means “Let's go to the Embera of the Chagres.”  Chagres is the name of the river valley where we live.

Wanamera Emberaa Chagres is very important to us. We have our own internal board of directors, all from the village.  We use Wanamera to work with other NGOs and institutions in development projects to better our community and our way of life. And most importantly, we use Wanamera as an education fund for our children.
Embera Drua is very organized. We have a tourism cooperative, Tranchichi R.L., a women’s association, Werara Krincha (Women’s Idea), and also a Student Committee. You can learn about each one below.

If you are interested in helping with our community groups and their projects, or have interest in donating to our education fund, please let us know. We can give you our bank information so that you can easily and transparently make your donation.

For more information, please contact:
emberachagres@yahoo.com
If you are American, some good friends of ours have created a very special NGO in the United States. It is called The Embera Foundation of North America. The Embera Foundation of North America works very closely with our community NGO, Wanamera Emberaa Chagres.

For more information, please contact:

Ana Arista aarista@yahoo.com

Read messages from Embera Drua’s leaders to learn about our hopes and dreams for Wanamera Emberaa Chagres:

Andrea Lino Machi
President of Emberá Drúa’s Woman’s Association

“The goal of the Woman’s Association is to give help to whoever may need it in the community.  As women, our primary worry is our children and we want to make sure they have the resources they need when they are sick or go to school.”
“As president, my dream is to have exchanges with other women’s societies, nationally and internationally. I hope that Wanamera can help us achieve this.”

Eneldo Ruiz
Chief of Emberá Drúa

“As chief of this community, my idea is to develop this community bit by bit. I am especially concerned with the education and health of my people.”

Ivan Ruiz
Marketing Director of Tranchichi Tourism Cooperative

“I would like to improve our business through trainings, so that we can strengthen our overall organization. Wanamera is a way to bring these trainings to our community. We want to promote our tourism and maintain strong relationships with tour operators and visitors.”

Johnson Menguisama
President of Tranchichi Tourism Cooperative

“After 14 years of working in tourism, this year at last we have created the Tranchichi Embera Drua Cooperative. We are excited for the future of this business. We hope that our children keep studying and preparing themselves so that one day theycan build upon it.”