District Gov Ryans presenting a check for restroom upgrade to a primary school
(Apr 25, 2023) Wes Bradford presented his photos and experiences on the District 5280 Humanitarian Trip to Belize on March 23-28, 2023. About 100 Rotarians from our District participated with the Rotarians of District 4250 in Belize, for 15 life-changing service projects to improve the lives of their people, while enjoying international Rotary fellowship and unforgettable memories. Funding of about $215,000 was provided by both Districts and by Global Grants, and the projects were coordinated by local Rotary Clubs. This trip provided an opportunity for our Rotarians to visit the projects in progress and to do some hands-on work on-site with local Rotarians and students.
The projects included upgrades for school facilities, scholarships, tree-planting, and mentoring for youth at risk. Adolescent girls often miss several days of school every month because of lack of privacy for their sanitary needs, so upgraded private restroom facilities help girls in low-income families to stay in school, complete their educations, and enable them to contribute financially to their families and communities as adults. The government is unable to pay for education after primary school, so some high school scholarships are being provided to enable children from poor families to fulfill their educational potential.
The female Rotarians met one-on-one with adolescent girls from poor families, to show them as adult female role models how to work through stress and trauma and to show them that women can achieve educational and economic success beyond society’s traditional “homemaker” roles. The male Rotarians met one-on-one with adolescent boys who had gotten into conflict with the law enforcement system (for minor infractions), to discuss with them how forgiveness and focus on future goals and self-development can help them turn their lives around and become successful adults.