Native Future supports Indigenous communities and organizations to restore, protect, and care for their lands, waters, and ecosystems. Together, we design the programs that address their priorities, and that our financial and technical support - your donation - helps bring to life. Every couple of years, we gather with the partnering organizations and communities to evaluate and celebrate progress, share lessons, and fine-tune our approach.
Each partnership is guided by a convenio—a signed agreement that lays out our shared goals and how we’ll track results. The partners keep us updated with technical and financial reports every few months, so we can keep learning and improving together. Their priorities also guide our fundraising.
Below are a few of the organizations we work with who are making a difference, daily, for their communities in Panama.
Wounaan Podpa NÊŒm Pömaan (WPNP) – Wounaan National Congress
The Wounaan Podpa NÊŒm Pömaan, or Wounaan National Congress, is the governing body of nearly 11,000 Indigenous Wounaan people in Panama. Founded in 1998, it advocates for Wounaan rights and territorial recognition. Every two years, Wounaan communities gather to discuss priorities, hear reports, and celebrate their culture. And every four years they elect their national leaders — including the national Cacique (Chief), President, and Vice President — to represent the Wounaan people nationally and internationally. In 1999, the Congress created the Foundation for the Development of the Wounaan People to manage its programs and strengthen community development.
Photo: Wounaan National Congress, Vista Alegre, 2016
Foundation for the Development of the Wounaan People (FUNDEPW)
The Foundation for the Development of the Wounaan People (FUNDEPW) turns the Wounaan community’s vision into action. This Panamanian nonprofit brings together local and national leaders, technicians, and advisors to implement our shared goals: secure land rights, protect forests and rivers, revitalize language and culture, and create sustainable livelihoods. FUNDEPW partners with other funders to address other needs, like clean water and sanitation. Guided by a dedicated Board of Directors, FUNDEPW works to ensure the Wounaan people can thrive on their ancestral lands for generations to come.
Photo: Wounaan Tour Guide
Geo Indigena
Geo Indigena is Panama’s Indigenous-led geo-informatics group, combining technology and traditional knowledge to serve Indigenous communities. For nearly a decade, they’ve provided mapping and spatial analysis to organizations, like the Wounaan National Congress, helping Indigenous leaders protect and manage their territories. During the COVID-19 pandemic, their groundbreaking map (below) —featured by National Public Radio (NPR) in the US—showed the virus’s impact across Indigenous lands. Today, Native Future partners with Geo Indigena to bring powerful data visualization tools to the partners and projects we support.
Photo: Doviaza's maps overlay the daily COVID cases reported by the Health Ministry
