By: L.N. Reklai
October 25, 2017 (Koror, Palau)Palau Community Action Agency (PCAA) celebrates its 50th Anniversary this month and President Remengesau issued a proclamation recognizing PCAA’s achievements and contribution to Palau for over fifty years.
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Palau Community Action Agency was chartered in 1967 after the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 was signed into law by US President Lyndon B. Johnson. The law created the Community Action Network. One of the key component of the program was to allow the underprivileged determine what could help them most.
According to Proclamation 10-218, PCAA had since its inception developed a lot of programs that helped to “empower Palauans to value, grow and utilize their skill resources and knowledge to become self-reliant through design and sponsorship of both individual and self-help programs.”
Some of the programs and services include first published Palauan language newsletter called “Didil a Chais”, implementation of Headstart Program that included Health, Dental and Nutrition components which in the early 1990s expanded to include Child Abuse and Neglect, Runaway and Homeless Youth, Apprentice Training with U.S. Civic Action Teams, Parental Assistance Programs and many more.
PCAA helped form East Coast Farmers Cooperatives, Federation of Fishing Associations, year-round training for elementary school teachers, auto-mechanic and body repair trainings, construction trainings, tuna fishing trainings, youth summer employment programs, juvenile justice program including printing of Palau’s History Books volumes I,II and III.
PCAA constructed the first comprehensive population census for Palau in 1970.
PCAA is the only organization in Palau with U.S. 501 (c) 3 Tax Exempt status.
To display Palau’s respect for the 50th Anniversary, President Remengesau proclaimed October 25th as a day to celebrate the achievements of the Palau Community Action Agency. [/restrict]