Support Development

in
Belize
Newsletter (3rd issue 2017)

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward

Inside this issue: the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless

HPP Belize Celebrat- 1 exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

ing 10 years Anniver-
sary Martin Luther King, Jr.

Malaria Summer camp 1

PUBLIC EDUCA- 2,3

TION for Building
Adaptive Capacity and
Resilience to Climate
Change in Toledo,
Southern Belize

Pre School Summer 4

Program

Child Aid Team 5

 Page 1

Humana People to People Belize Celebrating 10 years anniversary

Humana People to People Belize celebrated its 10 years of
working together shoulder to shoulder with the communities
in Belize. Humana Belize opened its doors in 2007 in Toledo
District with a Child Aid Project covering 30 communities
and a clothes project creating funds for activities. Between
2008– 2012 Humana People to People Belize carried out a
Child Aid in communities of rural Orange Walk and Corozal
District.
Humana People to People Belize has 3 projects; Child Aid
Toledo, Second hand Clothes Shops and a Famers Club pro-
ject with focus on public education and awareness about cli-
mate change and disaster risk reduction which was recently
introduced in Belize. It is a pleasure to work along with the
numerous families, customers, farmers, community volun-
teers, Development Instructors, Governmental entities, NGOs
and staff members that makes us, Humana People to People
Belize to move forward every year.

Malaria– Summer Camp

Humana People to People in Partnership with the Ministry of
Health (Independence Policlinic) carried out a summer pro-
gram for youth in Bella Vista Village with the purpose to edu-
cating youth about malaria and dengue prevention. A series of
important topics were thought during a 7 days session to 26
youth with the ages ranges from 10 to 16 years. The activities
included indoor theory and practical actions to identify hot
spots in breeding of mosquitos in the community surroundings
and methods of prevention.
Humana People to People Belize is grateful to work hand in
hand with the representatives from Ministry of Health and
thanks; Mrs. Mandy Pandy, Mrs. Humpry, Mr. Orlando Chan
and the rest of their team for educating the youth on the im-
portance of prevention and protection of Dengue and Malaria.
A special thanks to Mrs. Eugenie Adderley Gabourel
(Administrator – Independence Poly Clinic) for the support.
 Page 2
“PUBLIC EDUCATION for Building Adaptive Capacity and
Resilience to Climate Change in Toledo, Southern Belize”
In May 2017, Humana People to People Belize and the Car-
ibbean Development Bank’s Climate Disaster Risk Reduc-
tion Fund embarked on an innovative project to build adap-
tive capacity and resilience to climate change in Toledo.
The Project is comprised of the following components:

(a) Improved physical infrastructure and early warn-

ing systems for reduced risk to natural hazards;
(b) Improved agricultural farming systems resilient
to climate change (CC) impacts using the Farmers’
Club (FC) Model; and
(c) Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and CC Public
education and awareness and Emergency response.
Flooding in Blue Creek Village - August 2017

The Project Management Team has focused the initial
months of the project to develop an education campaign to
achieve the objectives of the project that focuses on Public
Education and Awareness about Climate Change and Disas-
ter Risk Reduction, Climate resilience agriculture, gender
sensitization and solid waste management.
The rationale for these areas of focus is because disaster
risk reduction education and public awareness can pro-
vide life-saving and life-sustaining information and skills
that better protect people from disaster risks and empower
them to respond to emergencies and contribute to mitigat-
ing disasters. Evidence has shown that impacts of disas-
ters can be substantially reduced if communities are well
prepared and ready to act and are equipped with the
knowledge and capacities for effective disaster manage-
ment.

Effective public awareness and education activities help

local communities acquire the skills and knowledge to
make informed decisions on how to reduce their vulnera-
bility to disasters, enhance their capacity and adapt their
livelihoods to withstand current and future risks, as well
as to demand greater action and accountability from those
responsible.

COAs - Abimael Bol, Mario Xi, John Caal, Andrew Che

 Page 3

Continuation...
Some of the activities that have been planned for this initia-
tive include surveys, cleanup campaigns, poster competition,
school debates, movie nights, tree planting, movie nights,
trips, disaster simulations, banners, community meetings,
house visits, guest speakers and community billboards.

The community billboards will be built in all the beneficiary

communities (San Benito Poite, Santa Teresa, Corazon, San-
ta Ana, Jordan, Blue Creek, Indian Creek, Golden Stream,
Bladen, Trio and Bella Vista) are an integral part of the edu-
cation campaign.
Framework for Billboard in Jordan Village

The billboards will be used to share information about the activities of the
project, the farmers club, the focus areas of education campaign as well as
for the community to share information about their communities not only
to the residents but to visitors.
The community of Jordon was the first community to embrace this initia-
tive and enthusiastically worked together along with the Community Out-
reach Assistant – Andrew Che – to complete their billboard. The residents
gave willingly of their time and the local resources that they had to ensure
that their billboard construction was a success.

In true spirit of the time honored communal culture of the Maya and the
spirit of Humana People to People of working shoulder to shoulder, Jordan
Village is proud to be the first community with their billboard ready to
share information.

Andrew Che - Community Outreach Assistant

(COA) for Santa Teresa, Jordan and Blue Creek .

Construction of Jordan Bill-

board
 Page 4
Preschool Summer Program 2017

Preschool Summer programs are an early-childhood edu-

cational class for 3- and 4-year-olds. Children gain a lot
from going to preschool summer programs held in most
communities in the Child Aid Project. During the summer
program, the children become exposed to numbers, letters,
and shapes and more important, they learn how to social-
ize -get along with other children this; share, and contrib-
ute to circle time before entering. Every child should have
some kind of group experience throughout childhood.

Humana People to People implement 1-2 months summer

programs.
This year, we enrolled 246 children in 12 communities in
Toledo and Southern Stann Creek (Aguacate, San Benito
Poite, Trio, Bella Vista, Bladen, Red Bank, Pueblo Viejo,
San Antonio, Jalacte, Santa Elena, Big Falls, and Silver
Creek). With the assistance of our community volunteers
who were the teachers of the summer program. We believe
that Preschool is an opportunity for the growth of a child;
For many children, preschool is their first experience in a
structured setting; it is an opportunity to learn to share,
follow instructions, and begin the foundation for learning
that will occur later on. More over, he will learn how to
separate from his mother so that his fear of being away
from mom during school time fades. Preschool also pro-
motes social and emotional development-Young children
learn social skills and emotional self-control when inter-
acting with others. Children are introduced to the behav-
iors required to function successfully in a kindergarten
classroom like listening to the teacher when she is talking
or form lines when entering the classroom. Thanks to our
24 youth community volunteers for the time they dedicat-
ed in teaching children of their communities.
 Page 5

Child Aid Team

Humana People to People Belize welcomes Sandra Cerri-
tos

“My name is Sandra Cerritos. I live in Trio Village and I

started to know about Humana and participating as a volun-
teer in some actions and events held by Humana in my com-
munity. I was given the opportunity to go to Frontline Insti-
tute in Zimbabwe, for an eleven months training in basic and
advance project management. I returned to Belize and now I
am working as an Program officer in Bella Vista and with a
project in partnership with Toledo Agro Produce (Farm9). I
am enjoying all aspects of my job including challenges and
achievements. I feel that beside improving the lives of other
people, I also become a better person. I have made a cam-
paign about malaria and Dengue prevention; I felt proud of
my work because people are getting more knowledge”.

Humana People to People Belize welcomes Maritza

Mejia

“My name is Maritza Mejia, I live in Bella Vista Village. I

was working as a sales assistant in one of the clothes shops
in 2016, thanks to Humana I had the opportunity to travel to
Frontline Institute and get to know more about Humana
world wide and also to have a new experience. Presently, am
working with 5 communities in South Stann Creek; Cowpen,
Red Bank, Santa Rosa, San Roman, and Santa Cruz and I
am very happy to work in these communities. More than
happy I could say it’s a pleasure to be part of this big
team”. I am proud to work with Humana People to People
Belize in community development.

Humana People to People Belize welcomes Eder Arteaga

to the youth community volunteers.

“My name is Eder Arteaga, I live in Bella Vista Village. I

started working at TAP Farm 9 and there I heard about Hu-
mana People to People Belize. Humana granted me the op-
portunity to be enrolled at Frontline Institute Zimbabwe, in
Africa. I took the opportunity and upon my return to Belize I
work as a community volunteer in four villages in Toledo. I
am happy and it motivates me when I see the expression of
gladness peoples’ faces. Working shoulder to shoulder with
them is rewarding when the improvements on their lives is
seen”.
 Page 6

Humana People to People Belize is a member of a network of 32

organizations engaged in international solidarity, cooperation and
HUMANA PEOPLE
development in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
TO PEOPLE The development work of the Humana People to People Movement is
BELIZE rooted in a commitment to fight alongside The Poor in a collective
process that supports people to make changes, solve problems and
improve their lives.

Monkey River Road,

Toledo District,
Belize Central America.
PO BOX 1728, Belize City

Phone: (+501) 678 99 43

Email: Info@humana-belize.org
www.humana-belize.org
www.humana.org

Country Director: Susanne Jensen

Email: susanne.j@humana-belize.org

Project Manager: Clothes and Shoes: Jaime Barrientos

Email: Jaime.b@humana-belize.org

Project Manager: Child Aid Toledo: Pantaleon Escobar

Email: Pantaleon@humana-belize.org

Project Manager: CDRRF/Farmers Club: Elizabeth Muschamp

Email: Elizabeth.m@humana-belize.org

Grant Management and Content Material: Cindy Rodezno

Email: cindy@humana-belize.org

Partnership & Promotion: Ishelly Williams

Email: Ishelly.w@humana-belize.org

SHOPS ADDRESSES:

Dangriga Town, Commerce Street, Stann Creek District

Santa Cruz, (beside the football field), Stann Creek District
Independence (Mango Creek), Toucan Street, Stann Creek District.
Bella Vista, (in front of A&A Supermarket) Toledo District
Placencia, (Main road, beside Scotia Bank) Stann Creek District