Belize, Cuban youths, swap places
It is a high priority programme that aims to put young people to work and help them acquire the skills that will make them effective leaders in the years to come. Today Youth for the Future took its mandate internationally. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods reports from the Philip Goldson International Airport.
Mervin Lambey, Programme Development Manager, Y.F.F.
?Well actually Youth for the Future, as a part of the Ministry of Education, is a part of the mixed commission agreement between Belize and Cuba and we are entering into the year of youth development activities. So we are having a youth exchange between Belize and Cuba where we will be sending thirteen young people to Cuba for a one month period and we will be receiving eleven young people from Cuba for a one month period.?
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Youth for the Future Program Development Manager, Mervin Lambey, says the objective is to better equip the youths to assist the Y.F.F. in implementing a number of programmes for youth activities.
Samuel Novelo, Y.F.F. Councillor, Orange Walk
?Well some of the problems that–we do not have enough activities, we do not have the enough funding support to do the activities; we have the ideas, but there is not support from the government, enough for funding. I hope that I can get enough ideas; I can get a good background of how the U.J.C. down in Cuba works. And hopefully when I come back we could implement some programmes, some new activities so that the youths get more actively participating in the community.?
Gina Lovell, 2004 Female Cross Country Cycling Champion
?I am hoping to learn more about the country, getting to know the youths, and basically to study the way they live in Cuba.?
David Martinez, Member, Belize Chess Association
?Well we will try to get contacts with Belize Federation of Chess over there in Cuba so that the Belize Chess could be more expanded here in Belize.?
Mervin Lambey
?We are expecting they?ll come back and work a little bit closer with Youth for the Future. So it allows us to coordinate a little bit more with the young people already working in the areas and then have them transfer the information, the knowledge that they got in Cuba to their own areas here in Belize.?
A similar experience will be shared by the Cuban youths visiting Belize.
Mervin Lambey
?We will also expose them to some of our critical people dealing with young people; the people of the National Sports Council, the people at the Institute of the Creative Arts, the people at the Human Development Department, and clearly with us here and the five agencies that we coordinate.?
The summer exchange programme in Belize will culminate with a national camp at Central Farm where one hundred and fifty youth leaders will participate from July twenty-fourth to August seventh. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
