SMART Steps Up for Y.M.C.A.
A quick response to a News Five story a few days ago means one Belize City organization now has some additional funds to keep helping children. Today, SMART handed over a donation and also recommitted to expand its partnership with the Y.M.C.A. News Five’s Andrea Polanco reports.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
Today, the Young Men’s Christian Association got a much needed boost to support the students enrolled in its online school support programs. Two weeks ago, Executive Director Doctor Clara Cuellar appealed for help – and today SMART answered with a cheque.
Adelaide Sabido
Adelaide Sabido, Public Relations Officer, SMART
“We heard YMCA’s plea about two weeks ago on Channel 5 and we decided to make a sponsorship of a thousand dollars towards their initiatives. They have been doing a fantastic job reaching out to the children in its community. A thousand dollars may not be a lot but I know it is going to go a long way for them.”
When school lessons were moved online, many students on Faber’s Road and surrounding neighborhoods were struggling to get access to devices and internet connection. With the help of donors, the YMCA decided to use its facilities to prevent students from falling behind.
Devoughn Lopez
Devoughn Lopez, Student, St. Ignatius Primary School
“The reason why I like working at the Y.M.C.A. is because the internet nuh drop.”
Andrea Polanco
“And when the internet drops for you – how difficult or hard does it make work for you?”
Khariel Jones
Devoughn Lopez
“It makes it very hard because at my home the internet always the drop because lotta people at our home always the use it. The teachers help us with our package work and they give us their own work for us to do and when we finish that we do our own package work and they help us with it.”
Khariel Jones, Student, Grace Primary School [File: March 5th, 2021]
“It helped improve my grades, because I’ve never been that much of an “A” student, but now I’m much better.”
But budget cuts and other constraints pushed the Y.M.C.A. to tighten its belt on other supporting programmes for these students. Doctor Clara Cuellar says that this donation from SMART will be invested in activities to help the children in their development while they are at the Y.M.C.A.
Clara Cuellar
Dr. Clara Cuellar, Executive Director, Y.M.C.A.
“Under child stimulation is the entire initiative for mental health in this COVID time. Ensuring that we are doing things like kite flying; continuing to feed our students even though we can’t afford a cook anymore; continuing to making sure that they are playing dominoes or Chalupa because you know we have a large picnic area to keep them separate is very important in addition to our service that we provide of education and technology – so this enables us to do those fun things because these parents nor their parents have to be concerned about paying a dime at the Y.M.C.A. So, when private sector steps in this significant donation keeps us going month to month.”
SMART also announced its plans to extend its partnership with the institution so that they can expand their course offerings to their target community.
Adelaide Sabido
“We are starting a new initiative that we have pledged in providing classes or courses in graphic design and in other educational content that will benefit the kids in the community. We hope that our graphic designer can come in the next few weeks to do something similar to that course in providing graphic design to the youths which will surely be beneficial to them as they get older. The work that they have done to better the Belizean community over the years is evident; from the swimming classes they do to teaching inside their lab; inside a small classroom – but reaching out to those that need the extra assistance, it is evident, it is there and that work only continues to grow as other companies like SMART come to their aid and help where they can.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
