Marla’s House of Hope opens after April fire
Across the country, orphanages and homes for battered women are bursting at the seams, which is why it was such devastating news to hear that one such facility in Belmopan had been destroyed by fire. But as News Five’s Jacqueline Godwin reports, community members have banded together to give the children a reason to smile.
Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
In just one night, the young residents and staff of Marla?s House of Hope in the City of Belmopan lost everything after fire gutted the building that had been home to the battered and abused for almost a decade.
But thanks to the support of the community and the hard work of the Board of Directors, today the boys and girls have all the comforts they?ll ever need.
The new building is big enough to allow the boys and girls to have their own bedroom quarters and includes a sick room, sufficient bathroom facilities, a state of the art kitchen, dining and living rooms and a study room. There is also a large outdoor patio and play area for the children.
Elias Awe, Chairman, Marla?s House of Hope
?It was built for three hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. Of course, these were mostly donations from various good people in Belize and abroad, and we are very grateful to them. As we speak today we have twenty children.?
The home?s chairman Elias Awe, says since they opened their doors in 1997, they have provided shelter for approximately three hundred children. The residents have ranged in age from eleven months and twelve years old and are usually referred to the home by the Ministry of Human Development.
Jacqueline Godwin
?This home right now can comfortably hold how many children??
Elias Awe
?I would say about twenty-five children. The mission of the home is to work in partnership with government and other organization to address issues affecting children, victims of abuse and other types of abuses. We have done that throughout–since 1997, and we do this of course with the collaboration of the Ministry of Human Development.?
The children are expected to stay at the home for three months but some cases have lasted for more than a year.
Jacqueline Godwin for News Five.
The new Marla’s House of Hope can comfortably provide shelter for twenty-five children.
