Gateway Youth Center Hosts Community Health Fair

“Healthy Me, Healthy You, A Gateway to a Healthy Life” – that was the theme of a community health fair held today at the Gateway Youth Center on Daker’s Street in south side Belize City. The event provided a space for the community to learn more about health and to get free screening and testing courtesy of several local health organizations. News Five’s Duane Moody was there and has this story.

Duane Moody, Reporting

The Gateway Youth Center is an institution that caters to out-of-school youths and at risk youths between the ages of thirteen and nineteen. It teaches them life skills and helps to reintroduce them back into society. Today, a health fair was held at the compound.

Erolyn Sebastian, Counselor, Gateway Youth Center

“The health fair is catering to schools from the south side, the community, the Collet area and anyone who wants to come and take a look at what’s going on. The health fair entails different booths from different health organizations such as BFLA, BCT. We have OCEANA here as well, Cancer Society and that’s pretty much it.”

Erolyn Sebastian

Duane Moody

“Why was it necessary for you guys to do this?”

Erolyn Sebastian

“It was necessary to let the community be aware of how important health is and for them to see what Gateway Youths are capable of doing in this community.”

From sexual health best practices and healthy living…the participants and visitors are learning even about bullying. Fifteen-year-old Angel Bol says that Gateway is a second chance for him and his colleagues.

Angel Bol

Angel Bol, Gateway Youth Center

“I’m learning that it is good to use a condom. I am just learning about CRD, I didn’t know about it. I am learning about healthy living and bullying. How it affects you. I believe that Gateway is a second chance for everyone; you come to this place to seek more in yourself and more better of yourself.”

The experience for sixteen-year-old Jalee Mitchell was life-changing.

Jalee Mitchell, Gateway Youth Center

“I get to see a lot of different things. You can take tests, you can answer questions and even win prizes. You can even meet people that you haven’t seen before.”

Jalee Mitchell

Duane Moody

“What has been one of the most interesting things that you didn’t know and found out here today?”

Jalee Mitchell

“My blood sugar because for the past few weeks, I feel like I mi di do good, but so far I lose weight and I neva know. Now I find out and I’m shocked by it.”

Duane Moody

“Found out that you had diabetes?”

Jalee Mitchell

“No, low blood sugar and that kinda bad for me…I need to get my sugar up.”

Erolyn Sebastian

“The booths that are here, if you would go and take a look, you would see them very engaged in what the presenters are saying. They are coming up to me asking certain questions so you can tell that they are getting information that could help them when they leave from this center.”

Jalee Mitchell

“I learn defense because they teach martial arts; I learn responsibility, maturity; I learn a lot of different things. I even learn leadership and that’s a main part of life that I am living.”

Duane Moody for News Five.