YES Donates School Supplies…

In time for the new school year, the Youth Enhancement Services has been offering assistance to youths who would otherwise fall by the wayside. The recipients of the program were properly vetted to qualify and are from communities in Dangriga, Orange Walk and Belize City.  Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

A small ceremony was held today by the Youth Enhancement Services to officially hand over a donation of school bags, books and uniforms as well as tuition assistance to lucky recipients. Funded through the CARSI initiative of the United States Embassy, Y.E.S. partnered with Community Policing for the project which started back in 2012 to reduce youth involvement in crime.

Karen Cain, Director, Youth Enhancement Services

“We had a distribution of books, we gave out tuition fees and we also gave out school bags and other school supplies. This initiative started back in 2012. Y.E.S. wrote a proposal in conjunction with community policing for us to assist children across the country of Belize who needed help with tuition and school fees. And so today we decided to give out the books and I must say that we did something unusual this time. We also contributed to children in Dangriga and Orange Walk. Those were given out last week and today now we did Belize City. So there is a total of about a hundred and thirty-one school bags that were given out this year. About thirty-five children got tuition fees paid—it is not full tuition—it is partial tuition and they got books, texts books as well as school bags and other supplies.”

One successful recipient gave birth as a teen. Lillian Novelo is now twenty-two years old and a mother of three, but has decided to enroll at the Gwen Lizarraga evening division.

Lillian Novelo, Recipient

Lillian Novelo

“So far, I feel good and appreciate everything that YES has given to me. I feel good that I am going back to school because in life right now, everything is paper and diplomas and things. So I feel good that YES is helping me a lot.”

Duane Moody

“Tell us about some of the struggles that you faced and why you joined the program.”

Lillian Novelo

“Back ina my days, I was going through some situation with my family members and things like that. I got pregnant in second form at Excelsior High School and Y.E.S. was there to support me and carry me through my life and things like that. so I really been there with Y.E.S. and through my life now I am saying that I want to go back to school and Y.E.S. is here sending me back to school and making me have a better life in my thing with my three kids them.”

According to Y.E.S. Director, Karen Cain, the organization focuses on at risk youths and provides them with the basic support required to be successful in life. So the lucky recipients were chosen based on their needs.

Karen Cain

Karen Cain

“They were chosen according to their need. And as I said, we did our investigation, we did the background work and decided to make home visits and look at them. Some of them were members of Y.E.S. for a long time and so we already knew what their backgrounds were, but we did preliminary filling out of forms and what was necessary for file. We have first time people who are going even to the Gwen Liz night school which is important and they will get their preliminary papers at the end.”

Y.E.S. has been operating in Belize for the past twenty-five years. Duane Moody for News Five.