Animation Boot Camp for Women Heads North

In July, the Ministry of Investment, through its Investment Policy and Compliance Unit, teamed up with the Taiwan Technical Mission and the National Women’s Commission to launch an animation bootcamp for women and teens. That initial opening was held in Belize City to provide the participants with in-person and online training. This is with a view to creating opportunities for them to learn basic digital skills in graphic art and animation to be able to produce short, animated movies and attract employment. The event moved to Orange Walk on Thursday, and News Five’s Marion Ali filed this report.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

Thirty women in Orange Walk who have expressed interest in animation and art have an opportunity over the next few days to learn to hone their skills in this area with a view to create their own livelihood by putting their training to work. They are taking part in an animation boot camp at Orange Walk Technical High School. The project is part of the government’s effort to push for an orange economy, using creative assets to contribute to economic activity and growth. Spearheading the six-day training is Jeavon Sanker.

 

Jeavon Sanker, Trainer, Women’s Animation Bootcamp

“There are huge opportunities for our country’s economic development. I also have friends in other countries that have animation studios, for example, Trinidad, Martinique, Jamaica, and they talk about projects being outsourced to them in the Caribbean from other countries, all the way from America. A lot of times people – and I have worked on a lot of projects as well from people abroad, and they like working with me. Guess why? It’s affordable to them. You see the exchange rate, they love the exchange rate and that doesn’t mean we’re not getting paid good. Yes, we’re getting paid good, but the thing is, we have the opportunity to tap into a market.”

 

If the event is successful, it could improve the unemployment rate for women who currently need jobs, as Prime Minister John Briceño alluded to.

 

 

 

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“When you look at the statistics, it is over forty percent of women that are not working. So could you imagine that if you can harness, if you could unleash that power, that talent that you have, those that are staying home because of different reasons – they have to take care of their children, so there’s no daycare centers that you can take your children. But if you could imagine that we could unleash that talent that you have and put it and invest it in the economy, Belize can double its economy in less than ten years. And what you’re doing here with the orange economy and animation and using technology means that in many instances you do not have to leave the home to be able to have a job that can empower you economically. Presently with the call centers there are a number of people that are working from home.  Animation could be one of them.”

 

The project’s implementation came with financial support from the Taiwanese government, and Ambassador Lily Li-Wen Hsu says that already, it has made some positive impact.

 

 

 

 

 

Lily Li-Wen Hsu, Taiwanese Ambassador to Belize

“I understand this is this series of program has been held in other places of the nation, and it’s already a boom for many, many young women and that interested in animation. So I’m very excited that this program today comes to Orange Walk. This collaborative initiative is between the Taiwan I.C.D.F., the Office of the Prime Minister, and Ministry of Investment, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and the National Women’s Commission. And it is part of our ongoing bilateral Taiwan Belize Women’s Empowerment Project that has been running for more than two and a half years.”

 

Marion Ali for News Five.