What we do
We support the youth, refugees and the needy reach their full potential!
Humanitarian Aid
We provide immediate temporary assistance with groceries, housing, medical, basic needs and support with documentation and primary education to the children of the most vulnerable, including the elderly, persons with chronic illnesses, pregnant and lactating mothers, newly arrived asylum seekers and other deserving families.
Small Business Development
Help for Progress, Belize provides a basic small business training course and with seed capital to establish a business where they can be self-employed and self-sustained.
Cayo Center for Employment Training (CET)
Participants have chosen careers in Hospitality Management, Tourism Front Office, Food Preparation, Air Conditioning, Electrical Installation and Auto Mechanics.
Skills Training
Young women have been assisted with training in Cosmetology courses at the Young Women’s Christian Association training Center
Tools
This project is geared towards assisting the most vulnerable asylum seekers in Belize, who legally are not entitled to formal employment.
Community Development
Community spaces available to the general public in asylum seeker impacted communities include public playground facilities and renovations, and solar lighting for after-dusk use of these areas.
ESL Training
We provide English as a Second Language (ESL) to the youth over 14 years old, mindful of their gender and increased vulnerability, who, due to their age, were unable to receive primary education and have no option in the formal education system in Belize.
Program Highlights
Continued…
- We advocate, refer and provide accompaniment to asylum seekers to the relevant agencies where they can seek all the support that they require including legal, psychosocial, medical and educational matters.
- We provide English as a Second Language (ESL) to the youth over 14 years old, mindful of their gender and increased vulnerability, who due to their age were unable to receive primary education and have no option in the formal education system in Belize. This with a view of preparing them to attend vocational training, at the San Ignacio Centre for Employment Training, to improve their livelihood and that of their family.
- Those who due to their age and for whom formal training is not an option, are provided with a basic small business training course and with seed capital to establish a business where they can be self-employed, given that the Belize Refugee Act mandates that asylum seekers cannot engage in formal employment during the lengthy application process.
- Work is also ongoing with the Belize Family Life Association and the Productive Organization for Women in Action with a set of activities to strengthen national and local protection systems in the Toledo and Stann Creek Districts and the conduct of community-based satellite outreach and mobile clinics
- We have also engaged with the Department of Youth Services to conduct capacity building for staff and youth and crime affected communities in Belize City, to prevent, mitigate and resolve conflicts. In the Cayo, Stann Creek and Toledo Districts, a youth assessment survey is ongoing, that will be used to align youth development policy within the Department of Youth Services.
- A women’s sewing group located in Belmopan, one of the durable solutions supported by the UNHCR program and HfP, is contributing to the integration of asylum seekers, supporting the needs of a local community, and providing a livelihood for single mother headed households.
- UNHCR’s funding is invaluable, and much more can be done.
Also, with UNHCR assistance during 2021, four young women have been assisted with training in Cosmetology courses at the Young Women’s Christian Association training Center in Belmopan.
During 2021, in partnership with the Venezuelan Embassy in Belize and the Instituto de Capacitación y Educación Socialista (INCES), 16 women have been trained in Sewing and 10 are receiving further training in school uniform patterns and sewing.
Skills Training
Cayo Center for Employment Training (CET)
Help for Progress has partnered with CET, and since 2019, with the assistance of UNHCR, 36 adolescents have benefited with full scholarships to attend training, including 11 females and 25 males.
Participants have chosen careers in Hospitality Management, Tourism Front Office, Food Preparation, Air Conditioning, Electrical Installation and Auto Mechanics.
Community Development
Help for Progress’ community outreach programs involve interacting with asylum seekers, the communities in which they live and work, as well as service providers. Jointly identifying needs, causes, effects, risks and possible approaches and solutions to various crisis situations, provides better protection impact and integration outcomes. Multiple outreach approaches, along-side a range of physical and virtual tools, allow asylum seekers to participate in the decision-making processes that positively impact their lives and communities. Targeted visits continue to be effective for meeting community members and organizations to address needs both within the asylum seeker population as well as within their communities of residence. Help for Progress has participated in multi-sectoral community clinics held through the central and southern regions of Belize. Outreach volunteers and personnel in four selected communities provide information and referrals on services available to asylum seekers. Community spaces available to the general public in asylum seeker impacted communities include public playground facilities and renovations, and solar lighting for after-dusk use of these areas. Child friendly spaces have been funded in selected government office areas that may provide assistance to asylum seekers and their communities.
Humanitarian Aid
We provide immediate temporary assistance with groceries, housing, medical, basic needs and support with documentation and primary education to the children of the most vulnerable, including the elderly, persons with chronic illnesses, pregnant and lactating mothers, newly arrived asylum seekers and other deserving families.
We operate a shelter in Belmopan City and Benque Viejo Del Carmen to provide emergency housing to the neediest where they can care for themselves until a more permanent solution can be found.
We advocate, refer and provide accompaniment to asylum seekers to the relevant agencies where they can seek all the support that they require including legal, psychosocial, medical and educational matters.
Since 2020, professional psychosocial counsellors have been assisting the integration process through sessions to individuals and family units referred by Help for Progress. Specific modules of safety planning, anger/emotional management, decision making skills, parenting education, effective communication skills and mental health maintenance planning, along with psychoeducation were adapted to meet the literacy and cultural needs of the clients, and delivered in Spanish.
Tools
This project is geared towards assisting the most vulnerable asylum seekers in Belize, who legally are not entitled to formal employment, with the means of providing basic tools for self-employment to improve their livelihoods, and meet basic needs. These tools are in relation to the skills that they acquired in their country of origin, including agriculture production and the service industry.
During 2021, 74 heads of household mainly single mothers, large families with young children, and adolescents have been assisted with tools not exceeding $750.00 per household.