Panama, Casco Viejo
Casco Antiguo, San Felipe


Yesterday, Fundacion Calicanto and the Oficina del Casco Antiguo celebrated another graduation of the Hotel Training for Local Women program. This time, about 18 women from the neighborhood (San Felipe, Santa Ana and Chorrillo) not only assisted to the course but got hired right away during their professional practice. And this time, not only as regular staff on an entry level, but as supervisors of Housekeeping Department.

This is an amazing change in their lives that is transforming our Casco Viejo from inside out. Fundacion Calicanto, which now has its own headquarters in Calle 4ta, is devoting all of their resources to programs for the local community. Focusing on breaking the poverty cycle by teaching all members of the family in their own scales how to fish and not giving away fish; the Fundacion Calicanto has gotten remarkable results.

Heriberto Trejos ( fcalicanto@gmail.com ) its Director, has given me the following results for the program. You can contact him directly if you wish to donate to the Foundation or get more information about the different programs they manage:

Project: Hotel Training for Women

Started: 2 years ago

Number of Women trained on the first period: 60

Results for 2008: 18 trained on the first 2008 year course; from which 11 are currently working either on the hotels they did their professional practice or other hotels. Four of them will be interviewed once their practice finishes in the next few months.

The program had a total of 18 professors and students practiced in hotels such as the Country Inn Amador, Country Inn Dorado, Albrook Inn and the Crown Plaza.

 Third Generation of Hotel Trainned Women: