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About Panama
The Peace Corps has a long history in Panama. The first Volunteers began work in 1963 and continued serving in Panama until May 1971. In February 1990, the Panamanian government asked the Peace Corps to return, and the program has continued without interruption ever since.
Panama has a complex history in which national and international actors have influenced resource management, public services, and economic policy. Certain sectors of the population are particularly impacted by unequal opportunities to access primary resources. In these areas, Volunteers collaborate with community members and partner agency counterparts to address community goals.
Peace Corps/Panama partners with communities to co-facilitate sustainable development and strengthen local leadership through three main projects:
- Youth in Development: Youth Leadership and Development (YLD)
- Environment: Community Environmental Conservation (CEC)
- Agriculture: Sustainable Agriculture Systems (SAS)
To support these projects individuals may participate in three ways to serve—Peace Corps Response, two-year Peace Corps Volunteer service, and the Virtual Service Pilot.
All Volunteers in Panama support cross-sector programming priorities such as youth development, and women's empowerment. Volunteers work in coordination with strategic partners to enhance all programmatic focus areas and are supported by a committed and talented staff that continuously learns, builds new skills, and creates a fun, creative, and innovative environment.
Annual report
2025 Peace Corps Panama Annual Report - English
2025 Peace Corps Panama Annual Report - Spanish