In the past, a lot of promising organizations came to our village and worked for a little while but most of the time, nothing was done.  It was not until SHI-Belize, which many of us had heard of and had long waited for, accepted the invitation to work with our village of Sunday Wood, that we had hope.  We had heard and seen what SHI accomplished in the other villages, so we did not need to think twice about working with them.

Ms. Melva Soto was born April 29, 1953 in the rural community of Pagua, in the La Pintada district of Panama.  She is a single mother with three daughters and  granddaughters who she considers to be her biggest source of inspiration.

In her community she is known as “Doña Melva” or “Mama Tita," and is held in esteem by the townspeople. As a young woman she promoted many social activities, including the formation of a youth artisans group that makes “Sombreros Pintados,” or painted hats.  She encourages the students to put forth their best talents and at the same time, earn income for their families.  She later formed a group of farming families and served as treasurer and coordinator of many collaborative community improvement projects including road improvements, bridge, aqueduct, and school construction, as well as other agricultural and environmental projects.