U.S. Embassy hands over $900,000 to groups targeting at-risk youths

This morning, the U.S. Embassy handed four hundred and fifty thousand U.S. dollars in grants to deserving local community outreach groups.  The grants came via the Central America Regional Security Initiative which is targeting at risk youths and communities.  The recipients travelled from across the country to the capital to receive their cheques at the U.S. Embassy in Belmopan. The Caracol Youth Communication Development received ninety thousand U.S. dollars, the Central Christian School for Vocational Training received a little over seven thousand U.S., the Humane Education Program received over ten thousand U.S. dollars the Youth Chess Program received over twenty-five thousand U.S. dollars.  Representatives of several of the nine groups expressed their appreciation to the US Ambassador, Vinai Thummalapally.

Vinai Thummalapally, U.S. Ambassador to Belize

vinai thummalapally

“We’re honored to announce the first ever state department Central American regional Initiative also known as CARSI grant recipients. These CARSI funds will provide support to organizations targeting at risk youths across Belize. A total of hundred and fifty thousand U.S. will be provided to nine Belizean organizations over the next 2 years. All of the grant recipients are local Belizean community organizations that are focused on providing opportunities for at risk youths. Today we are here to highlight the grant recipients, the grant projects and we’re funding the organizations that will be implementing the projects.”

armando choco

Armando Choco, Toledo Cacao Growers Association, received $50,000

“The food security issue in the south and I know it is an issue all across the country even in Central America and the World and the second is income generation for subsistence farmers in the south. Under these two issues the following will be addressed: one is the agronomic practices that are being practiced on a day to day basis by these rural farmers in the production of corn and beans; the second would be the improvement of post harvest methodologies. And third will be storage and of course the leading point here to establish the notion of business for most of these rural farmers.”

brian christopher

Father Brian Christopher, Center for Community Resource Development, received $40,410

“This is a very grass roots community project and it’s gonna depend on what are people wanna do. But what we are specifically listening for in these type of conversations have to do with ideas for economic development, how can people support their families, how can they take these skills and talents and turn them into some business idea. So the next phases will be help the people take those ideas giving them the support they need to translate those into practical actions.”

nyasha laing

Nyasha Laing, Project Director, Youth Voices led by Global Parish, received $77,800

“What we are trying to achieve with this project grant is to create a safe space for both of those types of youth to come together and create new things. So some of the youths will be developing their skills in the area of digital media and documentary storytelling and these are activities that we are ongoing with our small non-profit. But the other youth we are going to develop spoken word/slam poetry. I think that’s something both are new to Belize and new to our youth but we feel that the combination will provide a space for the stories of these young persons and a safe space for them to work together to create something new.”

chris garcia

Chris Garcia, Crime Stoppers Community Outreach Programs, received $100,000

“We are now attacking it from a different angle. We want to stop it before it happens. And like so many of you here today we are targeting at risk youths as well. That’s a big part of this project for us. We got ideas, you wouldn’t believe it, from the inmates at the prison. We had an essay competition for them and when we read those essays you would think it’s coming from the regular folks in the community. They want the same things that we want and from those essays we devised a little project for youths.”