Kalu Yala

Kalu Yala is a program offering students the ability to study, work, and live in a sustainable town. The town is located in the Tres Brazos Valley, 50 minutes from Panama City and about 35 minutes from Panama's International Airport by car.[1]

The building site is a midterm project, and an "incubator" for the creation of "environmentally and socially responsible communities".[2] Jimmy Stice is the creator and CEO of Kalu Yala.[3] Though not yet under construction, much of the town has been designed by Moule & Polyzoides Architects and Urbanists based in Pasadena, CA.[4] These architects are part of the New Urbanism project.

Stice had originally planned flip the site for traditional development before the Great Recession.[5]

Since Summer 2010, The Kalu Yala Institute has offered students from around the world the opportunity to conduct research projects on "best practices in sustainable living". Kalu Yala Institute classes include agriculture, biology, business, education and community development, design thinking, farm-to-table culinary arts, health and wellness, and outdoor recreation.[2] As of Fall 2015, The Institute has had people from 48 states, 25 countries and 150 colleges.[6][7] Tailored programs allow participants to set their own class project and research agendas for their contributions to the sustainable community.[1]

In Fall 2017, Kalu Yala was the subject of a Viceland reality television series entitled "Jungletown."[8] The show depicts a nascent settlement in the jungle where students study, live, and assist in the project development of Kalu Yala. Throughout the show, a number of the interns leave Kalu Yala prematurely citing a range of reasons, including the difficult jungle environment, mental illness and concerns that the organizers were disorganized and possibly mislead prospective interns (students).[9][10][11]

Despite Kalu Yala's stated altruistic, sustainability and educational goals, the venture is profit seeking and solicited a $12 million Series A venture capital round with the intent to a achieve a $100 million valuation in five years.[12]

See also

References
  1. Backer, Ariel. "Student works to sustain agriculture in Panama". FSView. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  2. Harney, Margaret. "Changing the world with Kalu Yala". UGAzine. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  3. Halbreich, Bethany. "Town 2.0, Leader 2.0: Lessons in Entrepreneurship from Jimmy Stice". Under 30 CEO. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  4. "Kalu Yala, Republic of Panama". Moule and Polyzoides. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  5. "Call of the Jungle | Kodak". www.kodak.com. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
  6. Scheller, Clayt (February 2013). "BC student interns in Panama". The 'Burnian. p. 3.
  7. Weyrauch, Megan. "A Few Months in Panama: An Overview of the Kalu Yala Entrepreneurial Internship Program". ULoop. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  8. "Viceland". Viceland. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  9. Chaney, Jen. "On Viceland's Jungletown, It's the Messes That Make for Compelling TV". Vulture. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  10. Joyce, Britanny. "Anna Bonadies of 'Jungletown' Talks about Loving and Leaving Kalu Yala". Vice. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  11. Joyce, Britanny. "Jake Fee of 'Jungletown' Breaks Down the Good and the Bad at Kalu Yala". Vice. Vice Media. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  12. Rivero, Tanya. "The 'Jungletown' Start-Up in the Panama Rainforest". Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
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