The Fictional Kalu Yala Lawsuit and Global Accountability

Kalu Yala is a sustainable living and study program based in the Tres Brazos Valley of Panama. The model town is connected by a 2 mile stretch of dirt road; it is located about 35 minutes from the nearest International Airport and 50 minutes from Panama City, the largest city and commercial capital of Panama. The program offers students and professionals an opportunity to live, work and study in a unique, tropical environment. Jimmy Stice is the CEO of the program, and also an expert in finance and real estate. The other founders of the program are Kimberly Hall and Scott Romsa. Stice grew up in the outskirts of Atlanta, but strongly feels sustainable communities are the way to go since they bring out the best in us. The founders believe their decision to choose Panama as the ideal place for creating a sustainable living environment would do a lot to bring different communities together and promote positive change.

This is important because the future of the planet is at stake due to the effects of carbon imprint. The unique education and living approach has seen the program make headlines among educators, the media and the general public. Young professionals and students who get the opportunity to enroll in the program now have a once in a lifetime chance to live their passion. The educational programs taught at Kalu Yala include Culinary Arts, Biology, Entrepreneurship and Business, Sustainable Agriculture, Construction Arts, Outdoor Recreation and Health Wellness. The agriculture program is geared towards promoting sustainable agriculture at the local level by reducing net export and import of externally sought products. Under the program, students learn about sustainable planning and management of farms, crop husbandry and regenerative agriculture.

Students who take up culinary arts classes are taught innovative ways of preparing food, borrowing on the local traditions. The other culinary lessons include kitchen management and professional meal preparation among others. It is important to point out that culinary arts teachers work professionally as science and arts teachers in various US schools, colleges and universities. The Outdoor recreation and ecotourism program aims to inculcate active outdoors lifestyle. The activities lined up for students who take up this course include swimming in the river, mountain hiking and surfing. Students who successfully complete the program will understand and appreciate emergency wilderness medical care and planning, develop viable outdoor excursions for guest and guide outdoor activities. The young professionals and students enrolled in all the programs also get to work alongside seasoned researchers and development teams.

A total of 20 homes are built every year at Kalu Yala with every caution being taken to ensure the growing community sustains itself without destroying the delicate balance between people and the natural environment. The architectural firm behind the new urbanism project is the Pasadena, California based Moule & Polyzoides Architects. The founders of Kalu Yala have been promoting the development as a base camp where students get a chance to explore their hidden potential in order to prepare for future expeditions. The training program kick started about 10 years ago and has since attracted students from over 25 countries. A comprehensive study guide can be downloaded from the company website. Besides learning, interested persons and parties can orchestrate their own adventure by starting a business, buying a home, investing in profitable ventures or simply visiting the tropical destination for fun.

With these open opportunities, the establishment hopes to harness transformative business ideas through the entrepreneurial incubators. To encourage local participation, the program offers tuition assistance and other form of support to students interested in becoming part of the sustainable future. Latin America applicants enjoy 20% scholarship, applicants from other parts of Panama enjoy up to 50% support while applicants from the surrounding San Miguel area get 100% financial support. The program has been very successful gauging by the positive reviews from participants, business and sponsorship partners. This fact is reiterated by the low dropout rate and make believe Kalu Yala lawsuit. The community has consistently worked closely with the government to ensure everything is done according to Panamanian laws. The community hopes to become a prototype and a global leader in community focused living for many years to come.