A Charitable Back-to-School Donation for Belize City Kids
As Belizean children begin the phased return to schools, one organization is lending a helping hand with supplies. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Back-to-school will be a challenge for many in these trying financial times. For students who come from impoverished communities in Belize City, new uniforms, book bags and school supplies may not be possible purchases, as parents face so many other important expenses and rising costs of living. To ease the financial burden brought about by COVID-19, one charitable organization has decided to provide supplies for primary school students, free of cost.
Moses Sulph, Hands of Mercy Charity Foundation
“Today we’re having a distribution to some kids, these are not all the kids but we’re trying to not have a big crowd at one time. So we’re doing an issuing out today for kids who are going back to school.”
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Education announced significant interest by schools that are reopening as part of the phased return this semester. That means that some children will be back inside their classrooms in the latter part of this academic year and not all parents have budgeted for those associated expenses.
Moses Sulph
“It’s just to help children from houses that lose, parents lost their jobs and to try reduce their burden. We are planning to reach a hundred and twenty kids today and Sunday we are going to reach another thirty in Collet and then Monday we are going to reach another twenty in Eight Miles and then we’re going to do another forty in Port and then in July we are going to do another two hundred and fifty with shoes, as well.”
Moses Sulph
The initiative was born out of the difficulties that many are faced with amid the pandemic. Moses Sulph who has been involved with community activism has chosen to lead the charge.
Moses Sulph
“It is even more important now for us to do more because there are more parents who are lacking the financial resources to do so. It’s an initiative that has been ongoing but we see it as a more necessity in this time and this is why we started in April. We usually start in August because we know that there will be more kids, so we’re trying to do it at different months. The next one is going to be July here as well and then we’ll have one in August before schools open again. Schools are opening at different intervals so we have to cater to that for kids right now who will be going to school next two weeks as well. So we’re trying to reach as much kids as we can but we’d really appreciate if more people get involved in donating more school supplies because it’s necessary.”
Hands of Mercy Charity Foundation is assisted generously by Belizeans in the diaspora.
Moses Sulph
“I want to thank the Belizean/Americans who have donated and without them it wouldn’t be possible and I am asking them that we need much more because there are over two thousand kids within the city and there is a next within different areas of the Belize District.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
