By Minerva Pinelo, PADF Project Director, Youth Engagement Services (YES!) – Belize

Partnerships are invaluable to development. In fact, in Belize they are at the center of a new initiative that will help at-risk youth from marginal areas have a chance to learn new job skills and train to become small business entrepreneurs.

A few days ago, we launched the Youth Engagement Services (YES!) program, a brand new project that will give 53 local youths, ages 18-24, the essential technical training and business advice they will need to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive local labor market. To do this, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) is bringing together key local partners—the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE), the Conscious Youth Development Program (CYDP) under RESTORE Belize, Samuel Haynes Institute of Excellence, and the Women’s Issues Network (WIN) Belize—to ensure that we provide these young people the best possible environment to succeed.

At the kick-off session, held at a Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) facility in Belize City, the young participants learned firsthand about entrepreneurship. Although many youth already operated informal micro businesses from home or with support of family members, many are interested in establishing a small business that can then grow and provide more services. Continue reading “Building Bridges in Belize” →