Port of Belize Gives Back to Port Loyola
This morning, the Port of Belize limited handed over a cheque to Port Loyola Area Representative Gilroy Usher Senior, as well as a donation of school bags to Inspirational Promotions. The assistance was provided for back-to-school preparations in Port Loyola. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
A vision between a pair of childhood friends a decade ago, has manifested into an annual drive that sees dozens, if not hundreds of primary school students, receiving makeovers and stationeries ahead of the new academic calendar in September.
Julie Dena
Julie Dena, Inspirational Promotions
“We’ve been doing this annual back-to-school trimming drive, it’s for ten years. It all started out by my brother, Brian Dena, and one of our childhood friends, Edmond Staine. They had this dream of helping children on Faber’s Road, specifically, because we grew up on Faber’s Road and it started on an upper flat. It was only about ten children that they started out with and then we extended it to children from Children’s Home and over the years it has developed.”
With face-to-face instructions set to resume in full on September fifth, it is expected that Port Loyola residents, those who live in the vicinity of Faber’s Road, will converge on the YMCA compound on Saturday and Sunday to get their hair done. Edmond Staine’s older sibling is a volunteer in the yearly initiative.
Orinthia Staine
Orinthia Staine, Inspirational Promotions
“I’m one of the volunteers that come out and do hair. We also, it’s more than just doing hair because when you’re over the child’s head, you encourage them, you know, making them feel beautiful. A lot of them come with a lot on their mind and they leave a little less stressed. So I believe that beside us giving back a haircut, we’re also being a motivation for the kids. There are a lot of kids that come back every year. Why they come back, it’s not only for the bags, they come back to feel beautiful.”
Indeed, the effort goes beyond just a trim or a new hairdo. It also serves as an opportunity to build positive self-esteem. There to assist is the Port of Belize Limited. Earlier today, in keeping with its responsibilities as a good corporate citizen, P.B.L. donated to this worthy cause.
Ted Peralta
Ted Peralta, Chief Technical Officer, P.B.L.
“Here at the Port of Belize we’ve always been intrinsically connected to the community and, as we’ve always believed, education is part of the keystone of growth within our community.”
Equally involved with assisting disadvantaged families to prepare for the new school year is Gilroy Usher Sr. He has been also been giving back to Port Loyola before being elected as its area representative. This morning, he also received a donation of three thousand dollars to help with his program.
Gilroy Usher Sr.
Gilroy Usher Sr., Area Representative, Port Loyola
“This donation from the Port of Belize, this nothing new. What happened is that Port of Belize is neighbor to the Port Loyola constituency and therefore we make every effort to work together. This is not the first time, this is the second time they have assisted me with the back-to-school program and I look forward to many more collaborations with the Port of Belize to help advance education in the community.”
As area representative, Usher has managed to raise seven thousand dollars through political means to meet the back-to-school expenses of his constituents. The financial assistance from Port of Belize brings it to a little over ten thousand dollars.
Ted Peralta
“Here at Port of Belize we’re always open, we are always open to help the community in any way we can and it might be now, it might be later, but we’ve like I said, anybody or any program that is willing to assist the community we will always be open to help in any way we can.”
Isani Cayetano for News Five.
