The area know as the Darien Gap is a dangerous stretch of rainforest along the southern border of Panama. This region of dense tropical jungle, over 100 miles in length, between Panama and Colombia is home to numerous natural hazards, including venomous snakes, jaguars, mosquitoes carrying deadly diseases, and treacherous swamps and rivers. The area is also known for dangerous armed groups who take advantage of desperate migrants trying to cross the gap and continue north. There are no roads or infrastructure connecting the “gap” between North and South America. Still, even with all of the life-threatening obstacles, people continue to travel through the Darien gap on foot in hopes of a better life.

At the same time, once migrants have crossed the Darien Gap, they still face a long journey through Panama and onto their next destinations. To control the migration flow in the country, the Panamanian government has established Migratory Receiving Stations (MRS) across both borders. These stations are used by the government, the Catholic Church, and several international agencies to provide immediate support to migrants. Two international Jesuit networks overlap in Panama in a shared effort to respond to this migratory injustice: The International Federation of Fe y Alegría and the Jesuit Network with Migrants of Latin Americas and the Caribbean (RJM-LAC). The shared efforts of these two networks provide resources for direct action and support for migrants moving through the region but also connects these efforts with global initiatives that collect information on migrant flows and human rights issues. Fe y Alegría Panama’s four-person team, based in Panama City, provides programs and assistance in the capital city, as well as in the MRS stations located in San Vicente and Lajas Blancas in Meteti (Darien Province) and in Los Planes and Paso Canoas in Gualaca, (Chiriqui Province).