Pathlight International Assisting 60 Families with Food Hampers

Pathlight International has been around for four years; their most recent initiative includes assisting families that have been affected by COVID-19. A group of needy families from the tourism and agriculture industries are the recipients of Pathlight’s pantry programme. Duane Moody caught up with a deserving and grateful families. 

Duane Moody, Reporting

They are known primarily for their support in education across the country but back in 2016, they assisted with relief for thirty families in Armenia, Saint Margaret and Cotton Tree Villages during Hurricane Richard. Now, Pathlight International is providing pantry to over sixty families in Belize City, Corozal and Cayo Districts.  The relief packages, which contain food and cleaning products, were handed over to a first set of single parents from the city.

Nilda Muschamp

Nilda Muschamp, Director of Operations, Pathlight International (Belize)

“We launched a campaign in early May asking for donors to help with financial contributions so that we can help the children of Belize along with their families during this time of need. COVID-19 has been affecting the entire country economically. Most of our families, the families of the children, are people who work in the tourism sector as well as agriculture sector and it has been affecting those two areas. Our goal for the campaign was ten thousand American dollars; we exceeded that goal.  We almost doubled it; sixteen thousand U.S. dollars. Even before we launched the campaign, we had sponsors who have been donating for the students who they sponsor and they have been sending money so that we can buy food and data for these students.”

Fifteen parents of students, who attend Unity Presbyterian Primary School, were the recipients in this first tranche. The school was adopted in September 2019 by Pathlight International and is benefiting from teacher training among other support for the students. Andrea Baizar worked in the tourism industry, but due to COVID-19 has lost her job. While grateful, she says that there are many whose situation is worse.

Andrea Baizar

Andrea Baizar, Recipient

“Right now, Belize di go through a lot and government noh di help half a wi because lotta people apply for the unemployment relief from Social Security. I see it yesterday on Facebook; a lot haven’t gotten any response. So this that Pathlight is doing, we are very grateful because this will help us a long way because lotta people in Belize can’t afford it.”

While a little goes a long way and the donation will help so many during these tough economic times, the selection process includes looking at those who are most needy.

Dalila Makhwani

Dalila Makhwani, Principal, Unity Presbyterian Primary School

“Most of the parents I chose are single parents that are not working due to the pandemic. I wish that I could have chosen more, but there is a limit for everyone. So parents who are not working right now and are single parents, then who else will help them. So that’s the way I went about choosing the parents and those who are really in need.”

Nilda Muschamp

“We are headed next week to Corozal. We are going to be visited Belize Adventist College where we are giving them twenty baskets. So what happen at the college is that we told the principal to give us the name of ten students and we have baskets of one hundred and fifteen dollars each. She said, why not spread the love more; let’s get twenty students and give them fifty-seven dollars and fifty cents each. And we did that. So we have plans for that and we will be in Corozal on Friday doing those deliveries. We also have another school that we adopted in Cayo District, Arms of Love in Kontiki area. We should be there next week delivering fifteen baskets as well.”

Duane Moody for News Five.