FOCUS
Promoting Health and Fighting Disease
Creating Economic Opportunities

MDGs ADDRESSED
MDG 1: Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty
MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
MDG 8: Create a global partnership for development

OVERVIEW
Belize has the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases per capita in Central America. An estimated 2.5% of people over 15 years old are infected. Recent Ministry of Health statistics show that the infection rate continues to be highest among females 15-29 years of age, who are two times more likely to become infected than their male counterparts in the same age group. This suggests that many young people lack the knowledge and skills to protect themselves appropriately from HIV/AIDS.

Belize also faces economic challenges. One-third of the population of 287,000 lives in poverty. Since tourism is the primary industry in the country, most Belizeans make a living by providing services that support tourism or by farming. A great deal of market potential exists to develop small businesses to serve the tourism industry.

Our PARTNER
Episcopal Relief and Development is partnering with the Diocese of Belize, composed of 31 churches throughout the country to implement an HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention program through the Belizean Anglican school system. The system educates close to 5,000 children through one preschool, eighteen primary schools and one high school.

Episcopal Relief and Development is also partnering with Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology (BEST) to provide micro-finance opportunities for families struggling to start or expand small businesses. BEST has many years of experience and the capacity to focus resources to help borrowers in Belize City and the rural Cayo District.

Our CURRENT PROGRAMS
Episcopal Relief and Development is working to secure a healthy future—free of HIV/AIDS—for young people in Belize. In partnership with the diocese, the Ministry of Education, and the Belize Family Life project, Episcopal Relief and Development is developing and testing age-appropriate HIV/AIDS curricula and workshops that will be used in schools across the country. The program was piloted in five Anglican schools in early 2007, and is being expanded to the remaining schools during 2008.

Episcopal Relief and Development is also creating opportunities for families in Belize to increase their income and develop sustainable businesses through our partnership with BEST. Episcopal Relief and Development is providing additional lending capital to fortify BEST’s portfolio so that more borrowers can be added. Episcopal Relief and Development is also developing a training program to increase the level of services and support to borrowers.

Promoting Health and Fighting Disease
Episcopal Relief and Development is teaching and equipping young people to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and prevent the spread of the disease in their communities.

• A new comprehensive curriculum provides teachers with a tool for effective HIV prevention instruction for both primary and secondary school students.
• Workshops equip teachers to implement the curriculum in their classrooms.
• Posters, pamphlets, and student-created materials inform students and parents about the availability of services, care, and support for people with HIV/AIDS.

Creating Economic Opportunities
Episcopal Relief and Development is helping families increase their income through micro-financing opportunities. These loans are directed at those currently earning less than $150 per month from their businesses, and who cannot get access to credit through other programs. Most participants reside in the rural Cayo district, with a few in Belize City.

• Micro-loans ranging from $500- $2,500 provide capital for entrepreneurs and small business owners to start or expand their businesses.
• Training and support helps borrowers evaluate and strengthen their business models.
• Educational programs increase business owners’ knowledge of accounting, customer service, quality control, and improve their overall literacy.

Our PAST ACHIEVEMENTS
Results of the HIV/AIDS pilot program in five schools in 2007 indicate that 63% of students who participated exhibited above average knowledge of HIV/AIDS and how to prevent it, compared to 31% of those who did not participate. Participating students also reported increased safe behaviors such as getting tested for HIV/AIDS or delaying sexual debut.

Belize Hurricane Rebuilding Projects
After Belize was hit two years in a row by devastating hurricanes in 2000 and 2001, Episcopal Relief and Development partnered with the diocese to rebuild three of the hardest hit communities in the country—Caye Caulker, Monkey River, and Placencia—with assistance from volunteer teams from Episcopal churches around the United States. Episcopal Relief and Development successfully completed the following projects:

• Building twenty-one new homes in Caye Caulker, along with improved water and sanitation systems.
• Completing a new building for St. Stephen's Anglican Primary School in Monkey River to replace the one destroyed. The school serves 90 children.
• Rebuilding St. John's Anglican primary school in Placencia, which educates 150 students.
• Creating micro-finance opportunities that helped families start small businesses and earn money to feed their families.