U.S. $1 Million Distributed Among 4 Belizean Organisations

Today, the U.S. Embassy distributed one million U.S. dollars among four organisations in Belize as part of the Central America Regional Security Initiative’s Economic Support Fund. This fund aims to foster social and economic development in Central American countries by supporting the initiatives of civil society organizations. News Five’s Britney Gordon attended the award ceremony in Belmopan to find out which organisations will benefit from this generous grant.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Since 2012, the United States government has awarded over eleven million dollars in CARSI-ESF grants to civil society organizations in Belize. These grants have funded projects that enhance emergency response services, healthcare, and the national response to gender-based violence. This year, four organizations each received a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar grant. U.S. Ambassador to Belize, Michelle Kwan, shared that this event is the highlight of her ambassadorship.

 

Michelle Kwan, U.S. Ambassador to Belize

“Today was handing over a million U.S. dollars, uh, to civil society organizations, really doing incredible work as you heard from their speeches from the UNDP to RET International to Love Foundation and Galen University. Today, I am thrilled that we have a senior high level senior visitors from Washington. We have the Deputy Assistant Secretary Eric Jacobstein also having important meetings across, um, on shared issues and so today is just a spectacular event really celebrating and really acknowledging the hard work that’s being done across this country.”

 

The grant is highly competitive. To qualify, the objectives of the organisations must align with the US Embassy’s goal to improve Belize’s civil society. RET International is a third-time recipient of this award. Cherese Ferguson, Country Director of RET International Belize, explains the organisation’s continuous efforts to create a safe environment for youth and women.

 

 

 

Cherese Ferguson, Country Director, RET International Belize

“Our core commitment has always been to provide multidimensional solutions, including formal and informal educational initiatives with the goal of building the capacity of youth and women.  to be positive change makers. When we realized that Objective three of the call included a focus on youth, we proceeded to start our research and put pen to paper. Adolescents are uniquely impacted by GBV, or gender based violence. Their young age and inexperience with relationships can heighten their risk for physical and sexual intimate partner violence. Being a victim of, a victim of G.B.V. during adolescence can lead to long lasting negative mental and physical health outcomes and can set young women on a trajectory for subsequent abuse. In order to combat these issues among youth, it is important to socialize them in a way that does not perpetuate violent behavior.”

 

Galen University, Ret International, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Love Foundation will continue to work with the U.S. Embassy to ensure transparency and that the goals proposed by the organisations are achieved for the betterment of the country.

 

 

 

 

Michelle Kwan

“In terms of these grantees, it’s good governance, fighting corruption. And we have had grantees fighting on empowering youth and adolescents, as you heard from an organization today, one of the grantees. So across the board it’s providing assistance, building the capacity for the government of Belize addressing some real issues that concern civil society.”

 

Britney Gordon For News Five.