Mary’s Open Doors receives donation
Mary’s Open Doors is a non-governmental organization located in San Ignacio that assists victims of domestic abuse in the west. And as the scope of its work grows, so does the need for funding. One group that has stepped up to the plate is the Concerned Belizean Women Group, an organization working on promoting awareness of the African identity. News Five was present today for the handing over of a cheque to Mary’s Open Doors. Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The Concerned Belizean Women Group is made up of six active women who have been assisting battered women and children. Recently, the C.B.W.G. organized the first Miss African Queen International Pageant that raised over four thousand dollars, the proceeds of which are now going to assist the Cayo based group.
Birdy Francis, Rep., Concerned Belizean Women Group
“What we did, we gave them twenty-five hundred dollars. We made about four thousand, I think eight and after paying our expenses we saw that we could give them twenty-five hundred. We tried to give them as much as we could and they are very happy. We think that’s a nice substantial amount. We figured we would raise our own money to support our cause so what we’ve done, we’ve decided that we’d come up with projects that will build self confidence of women and children and from the proceeds of all the events that we do, we will donate it to a charity.”
Duane Moody
“And one of the first was Ms. African Queen International?”
Birdy Francis
“It was a very good turn out and we consider it a great success, the feed back we’ve given is marvelous. Everybody is saying you have to do it next year, it has to be an annual program.”
Lurleen Betson-Gamboa captured the title of Miss African Queen International. She says that the platform of the women’s group bolsters her work in schools.
Lurleen Betson-Gamboa, Miss African Queen Intl 2009-2010
“It makes me really proud in terms of being a role model. I have always been known for being a role model. I am a teacher at heart still, I am an education officer so I’m already a role model. So this just adds to my platform.”
Duane Moody
“And that is what you guys are going to do with assisting this organization, the Mary’s Open Doors that assists battered women?”
Lurleen Betson-Garcia
“Exactly, because the fund collected from the pageant will go directly to Mary’s Open Door located in Cayo. To be able to be a part of such an event is an extreme honour for me because supporting females who are in any type of situation is just basically an honour to be able to assist. Even though it might not be a lot of funds, it’s something that would go towards.”
According to Mary’s President of the Board of Directors, Marilyn Greig, most of the members are victims of domestic abuse.
Marilyn Greig, President, Board of Directors, Mary’s Open Doors
“Mary’s Open Doors started as a support group for women who are living in domestic violence situations and it’s grown over the past three years. Most of the women in the group are survivors of domestic violence and that’s why we knew there was a need for something like this in San Ignacio. All the money that we have and we have been operating on have been through donations, through begging, we’ve been doing dollar day at the market to get funding for women that come into our shelter. When these women come, they come without clothes, they come without shoes, no food, pampers for their baby so we need to feed them, we need to clothe them. So this money is going to go a long way. On a monthly basis, there is between thirty and forty women that come through our doors and we have twenty-one people so far on site that come in with their children. They get basic counseling, we help them to find jobs, help them to move on.”
If you would like to contact Mary’s Open doors to render some assistance you can call its office at 824-0409 or Greig at 602-6934. Duane Moody for News Five.
