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May 22nd- August 5th

Kalu Yala as a Brand:

Kalu Yala is a 7,000 acre valley that backs up to a 320,000 acre national park and sits at the headwaters of a 90,000 acre watershed. Primary rainforest takes up 50 percent of the breathtaking valley while the rest is currently used for cattle grazing. Kalu Yala is located 45 minutes from Panama City’s central business district and 30 minutes from the international airport.  The village we are designing in the valley will eventually have a population of over 10,000 people.

We have enlisted some of the world’s best architects and planners in the world are helping us make Kalu Yala one of the most sustainable places on earth. We are designing a sustainable food system with micro farms and a large market that will be able to provide almost all of Kalu Yala’s food. Energy will be produced on the property. We will help build social capital and empower environmental responsibility in the 200,000 acre region surrounding us. Residents and guests will have access to the national park that borders Kalu Yala and all the adventure and education it holds.

Although Kalu Yala covers over 7,000 acres, the village will be designed on less than 20 percent of the land. This allows us to preserve all of the primary rainforest, over 3,000 acres in total. Working with the team in Panama, our online community and experts, we will decide how to divide the remaining land between the village, reforestation and small scale sustainable farms.

Internship Program:

The Kalu Yala internship program is a program that allows for students to come to Panama and gain cultural exposure, work experience, knowledge and use the resources Kalu Yala has to create a project that is personal to you and in line with both your and our values. This program allows each individual to tailor a research project that fits his or her specific interests pertaining to Kalu Yala. As a team we work with each individual to craft a roll which fits our company, our brand, and your passion. Cognizant of the reality that our current interns cannot stay forever, we are currently taking applications for new interns. We are looking for passionate, self-starting people who wish to help inspire and continue the progress of our work. Kalu Yala is seeking individuals from all backgrounds who will be able to flourish in our whole-systems, entrepreneurial research environment.

Goals:

Each semester the KY group makes a list of goals of what they want to accomplish as a company that semester. Some goals are short-term and confined to the following weeks or months, while others will be long-term and relate to the direction of the company’s growth. Here are some we are already focused on:

• Biological systems within the Kalu Yala valley
• Sustainable agriculture and food
• Sustainable architecture and construction
• Community outreach and education in San Miguel
• Advertising and creative media to tell meaningful stories to the world
• Outdoor recreation
• Hospitality

These goals are not the only things Kalu Yala is focused on. We are interested in all the facets of building a community and would love to have interns express their interest in how they want to contribute to Kalu Yala.

Where You Live

The Kalu Yala Internship Program houses students in three different locations.

1) Panama City is where we have our main office and intern living quarters. It is located in the Bella Vista neighborhood in the center of Panama City, our interns live in Edificio Hispania, a historic building located directly behind Urraca Park with gated parking.

2) San Miguel is the nearest village to the Kalu Yala property. Many of our community outreach and education interns spend a significant amount of time in the local town.

3) The Kalu Yala site is still completely off-the-grid, with access by four wheel drive vehicle only.  Biology and sustainable construction interns will spend at least 50% of their time living in camp sites within the valley.  If adventure is what you are looking for, the valley will live up to your expectation.

The location where you will live is driven by which topic you chose to focus on and the location of resources needed to complete your project. Before you have finalized your project outline, it is not always easy to predict where you will sleep. However, each person has the ability to visit all locations and stay wherever he or she feels the need to get their project done. You are not limited to one area, so we have beds in all places.

How You Eat

Kalu Yala has incorporated a meal plan service that provides interns with lunch and dinner everyday of the week excluding Friday evenings. The meal plan allows interns to save time and money and is constantly evolving in its effort to create a healthy and delicious menu.

The meal plan goes with you where you go.  We have arranged a meal plan service with the local “fonda” (restaurant) in San Miguel and are in the process of arranging one with the caretakers on site in Kalu Yala.

We are willing to work around special dietary needs and preferences to the extent that is currently possible.  We can accommodate vegetarians, but cannot yet satisfy the needs of vegans or gluten-free individuals.  If you are a vegan or gluten-free cook, we would love to have you incorporate your skills into the meal plan so that we can offer this in the future!

How to get involved:

Read on How To Get Involved

E-mail ellie@kaluyala.com for information on how to apply for the program.

Photos

Check out some pictures from our adventures here in Panama!

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