Girl Guides look for boost

Throughout the summer, children from across the country will be involved in numerous outdoor activities, some of which are being organised by the Belize Association of Girl Guides. Unfortunately, the movement is going through some tough times as every year they seem to recruit less members than they lose. This week, the chairwoman of the Western Hemisphere Committee of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Toni Martinez Burgoyne, visited Belize to brainstorm with the leaders of the local association to come up with ideas to encourage young women to join the movement.

Toni Martinez Burgoyne, World Assoc. of Girl Guides

“There is some diminution in the population of the Girl Guides here. There are quite a few Brownies, but it appears that retention of some of the older girls has been a challenge, as well leadership. I believe that the girls are here, that the programmes are good and they are contemporary and they are relevant, but I also believe that leadership is necessary. We need to go back into the schools perhaps and attract the teachers to stay with the programme.”

Sr. Elsa Oliva, Belize Association of Girl Guides

“Parents need to consider getting their girls involved in an all girl association that is gonna improve the development of their girls rather than allowing them to join other organisations that are going to hinder them. Because Girl Guides is something that develops and strengthens the character of the person, rather than just helping them with camping and learning to do arts and crafts and that.”

According to Sister Elsa, there are approximately four hundred girl guides in Belize, a number she would like to see grow to fifteen hundred.