19 Students Awarded PACT Academic Grants  

This morning, nineteen students from across Belize were the recipients of academic grants under the Protected Areas Conservation Trust’s Youth Academic Support Grant Program. These grants provide students with the necessary funds to complete their higher education with the goal of preparing them to contribute back to Belize in the future. Today, News Five’s Britney Gordon attended the award ceremony in Belmopan to meet the fortunate awardees.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) aims to sustainably enhance Belize’s socio-ecological systems through strategic financing and partnerships. For nearly three decades, PACT has been funding organizations dedicated to preserving the country’s natural resources. Today, however, the thousands of dollars PACT is investing are going directly to individuals. At the award ceremony for PACT’s academic grants, Chairman Dr. Kenrick Williams explained how these grants align with the organization’s mission.

 

Dr. Kenrick Williams, Chairman, PACT

“We have refocused our mission to say that it’s not just about the environment and conservation. It’s about the people.  And how these two things work together. How we use and sustainably manage our natural resource. That is the mission of PACT. And so we felt it fundamentally important. That we invest in our young people, that we invest in our people, who use and depend on these resources.”

 

Williams explains that PACT sought to expand the types of students selected for that grant, so that the environmental field may be supported from all fronts.

 

Dr. Kenrick Williams

“Our investment and our thought is not just on the biologists and the natural resource management students.  We’re investing in a cross section of students that does business, that does economics, that does environmental conservation. Because you are going to be the people who are going to drive AI and machine learning in conservation. You’re going to be the people who does environmental economics and natural resource valuation. You’re going to be the people who does the carbon credits. You’re going to be the people who drive all the new ideas of environmental conservation and management. And how we as a country who have sustainably used our resource go out there and say, hey, this is what Belize have done. We’ve made an investment. How much are you going then to support that?”

 

Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree received a generous $10,000, while those going for an associate degree got five thousand dollars. These students are heading to various schools, including the University of Belize, Corozal Community College, and Independence Junior College. Among them is Chantel De Leon, who is excited to study hospitality and tourism management at Galen University.

 

Chantel De Leon, Grant Recipient

“I am actually very interested in the sustainability area and as well in the culture area. I am part of NICH also and I am part of a dancing group. And I always like to preserve, to try to help in a way to the environment. And this scholarship will help me because it is a great opportunity for me that I am really having difficulties to pursue this degree. But with the help of PACT I am sure that I will be doing my bachelor’s degree.”

At the ceremony, students were advised to pursue careers in-country upon the completion of their degrees. PACT hopes that by assisting students with their education, they will be motivated to invest their skills back into their country. Minister of Sustainable Development, Orlando Habet, elaborated on this goal.

 

Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development

“Last year, we constituted the program and said that it is a way for where can also have some investment. It’s not only on the protected areas management conservation of biodiversity, whether it’s plants, animals, water, but also to have an investment on the people And in this case the students who will be some of our future leaders, and also some of the people who will be leading these conservation organizations, working to, towards the reduction of those factors that cause climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution. But, if you heard, it wasn’t only those that are pursuing academic careers in environment and natural resource management, it’s We looked at areas of biology the social studies, because all it has to do with conservation.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.