BELTRAIDE’s mission includes enhancing Belize’s prosperity by fostering entrepreneurship and business growth.  The SBDCBelize unit of BELTRAIDE is tasked with achieving this part of the mission.  Through the SBDCBelize unit (Small Business Development Centre), BELTRAIDE  has partnered with the YWCA’s project known as “Expanding Economic Opportunities through Entrepreneurship & Market Development” (EEOEM) for a 12 weeks business skills certification program. Through this project participants are receiving business and skills training, assistance in improving their business and access to outlets to market their products and/or services. Officers from BELTRAIDE have developed and are facilitating the courses as well as providing personalized business advisory services to the participant. 

The project is open to rural women and youth.  The overall aim of this project is to improve the 

condition of rural women and youth through enterprise development and market access enhancement.   The project was made possible through funding from the European Union, Government of Belize and the YWCA. 

Some of the desired results from this project include: strengthened and formalized institutional linkages aimed at business mentoring and technical support for participants, and rural women and youth will have gained the skills resources and support to successfully start their own business.