Cancer Society Receives Financial Aid from UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization works in various areas in the country including HIV/AIDS, Climate Change and the Barrier Reef System. The organization collaborates with different ministries on projects to enhance education, science, culture, information and communication. Government institutions, organizations, NGOs and private organizations are invited to apply for financial assistance for their particular projects as part of UNESCO’s bi-annual participation program. The Cancer Society submitted its application in early 2014 and following an approval process, received much needed financial assistance today.
Laura Tucker Longsworth, President, Belize Cancer Society
Laura Tucker Longsworth
“Earlier this year we had a project were we conducted extensive education trained people in companies and is on to promote general health, cancer health and the health of their cervix. So we also conducted pap smears and so on. That initiative was highly successful and through one of our board members she encouraged us to apply to UNSECO so we can continue the process.”
Rev. Dr. Rudolph Anthony
Rev. Dr. Rudolph Anthony, Secretary General, UNESCO Belize
“These proposals are sent to Paris France and they are the ones who make the final decision. Sometimes they would want additional information on a certain project, sometimes it is good to go, and no additional information and sometimes they just out rightly reject the project. Well for the Belize Cancer Society, they are one of the first for this biennium to get their project approved. So we are awaiting right now for more projects to be approved by December but the Belize Cancer Society this stance to gain to get their cheque today because their cheque was approved through this participation project.”
Laura Tucker Longsworth
“We always have to bear in mind that we have Cancer Society’s across the country. We have in P.G., we have in Corozal, we have in Dangriga and so then we always work with those in the community to ensure that communication and education takes place within their setting where the community understands how the message should be given. Because often times we talk about Cervical Cancer often time people misinterpret our message and we think that is a barrier. Why because 95% of cervical cancer are related to the infection with HPV and people say oh it’s a sexually transmitted infection. All we are saying is let us help you to maintain good health, men and women, and to understand that when a woman has cervical cancer, a man is affected and also because the virus is communicable, we don’t know where it come from. Let us start taking care of our health and so the money will also be used to craft messages for those communities, especially rural communities and that’s where we want to go.”
The approval is granted by UNESCO’s main office in Paris, France.
