Empowering the South Side through Employment
In areas of south side Belize City where opportunities are often hard to come by, the U.S. Embassy Belize and two local agencies are seeking to make a difference. The beneficiaries of Empowering Communities to Empower Themselves Initiative are young men and women who might otherwise be written off by society. But today, the only thing that was being written was their names as they are now described as among the self employed and empowered. News Five’s reporter Paul Lopez has the story.
Ras Bobba
Ras Bobba, George Street Resident
“And I ask you oh almighty father to guide us through. And, to please uplift our communities and put in the youths mind the change to time.”
Paul Lopez, Reporting
That is Ras Bobba, a member of the George Street Community. He is saying a prayer for his community at the Empowering Communities to Empower Themselves Initiative Culmination Ceremony. For Japheth Bennett, a member of the Saint Martin’s Community in Belize City, strenuous circumstances lead to poor life choices.
Japheth Bennett
Japheth Bennett, Saint Martin’s Resident
“Well growing up saint Martins was a nice area, but during the past years and changes make and people get older and things start to escalate and you live in a life weh dah nuh weh you choose to deh eena certain situation, dah weh things just lead on to the direction weh you neva choose to guh.”
Matthew Moore, a member of the Yarborough Community in Belize City gave us another example of why living in his community presents its own challenges.
Matthew Moore
Matthew Moore, Yarborough Resident
“Ih rough if yon uh have a connection out yah man cah everything dah just technology and communication. If yon uh got technology and communication right now yohnuh the up eena the standard and that dah all yo need. And no man is an island so each one help one and dah how we live right now, unity you know, yah man.”
The U.S Embassy Belize, Love Foundation and Kolbe Foundation have been working closely with residents of these areas, adapting strategies that have worked in other countries.
Deborah Sewell
Deborah Sewell, Managing Director, Love Foundation
“A lot of what I do is based on best practices from around the world. And, this is a best practice from the U.S., under the office of Juvenile delinquency project. This is a project done in the U.S. in various gang communities. What we do is we customizeit, we tailor it to fit Belize.”
Two resource hubs have been launched. One was established in the Yarborough Community in October of 2020. A second is in the Saint Martin’sarea. Today, residents of George Street, notoriously known as one of the most dangerous areas in the country, were gifted resources that should lead to employment and food security.
Keith Gilges
Keith Gilges, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy in Belize
“Today, a group of talented young women from George Street are launching their new mobile salon, Sunshine’s Beauty and nails shop. And they are launching it right here in Belize. While the Salon will be located here initially as their startup grows and builds its client base. It will nonetheless provide much needed employment opportunities for the young women from the George street area. Meanwhile we are providing tools and equipment to the male participants from the George street area to start their own greenhouse business with the catchy title, go green, go clean.”
Japheth Bennett and Matthew Moore are beneficiaries in their respective communities. They say they are better off.
Japheth Bennett
“For Saint Martin’s fuh weh we the do right now it’s a big project and for me personally ih give me a big jump, mek a think smarter, and learn different things.”
Matthew Moore
“Under my program multipurpose we do car washing sometimes. If I nuh the deh I the do fishing or mechanic or construction, and that’s it right, that with the livestock and the planting weh Mister Gregson encourage me about.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
