Belmopan International Women's Group Belize, Central America “Welcoming and Fostering Healthy Relationships by Socializing and Promoting Charitable Community Outreach”

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Outreach Program Ongoing Outreach Projects: Our programmes include monthly food parcels for 8 families in the Cayo district. We also provide clothing for Hospitals to help new mothers and young children who arrive at Belmopan hospital for treatment and have no change of clothing. We've recently added to our projects, the Palm Center in Belmopan, a home for mentally challenged persons. We need donations for them of clothing, underwear. toiletries, games, books, magazines, DVD's, CD's and anything that could help them create a vegetable garden. Do you know of a family or individuals in the Cayo District in need of assistance from the BIWG Outreach Team? Please contact our volunteers at: CHILDREN’S BOOKS HAVE ARRVED! BIWG will always be able to use more English language children’s books. ANY reading books you have that you no longer use for your own children – any age group from basic beginner to older teens, please contact to arrange collection. Other items such as toys, games, infant wear, childrens shoes & clothing in good condition are also appreciated.

2010 OUTREACH PROGRAMME During the calendar year 2010, the Belmopan International Women’s Group assisted individuals and organizations that work in the interest of marginalized children and women. Assistance to individuals and families was in the form of monthly donations of groceries, payment of school tuition, purchase of school books and supplies. Monetary contributions were made to organizations in support of their programmes that benefit women and children. Monthly Feeding Programme There are seven individuals who are beneficiaries of our Monthly Feeding Programme in various communities. Each month we spend $355.00 to purchase groceries for these families. These cases were reviewed by the Outreach Committee in order to determine those who should be kept in the programme. Another review will be conducted within six months of the date of the last review. The Belize Red Cross Feeding Programme The Belize Red Cross in Belmopan receives $200 from the BIWG each month to assist with its feeding programme. The Red Cross provides lunches to school children whose families find it difficult to provide them with daily lunches. Assisting San Ignacio Families Affected by HIV/AIDS This programme has been administered by Mrs. Miriam Rivas in collaboration with Nurse Cherry Mae Velasquez of the San Ignacio Poly Clinic. Groceries are provided to families affected by HIV/AIDS at an average cost of $300 monthly. Supporting Mary Open Doors of San Ignacio During 2010 we continued to support the work of Mary Open Doors with monthly contributions of $200. This helps to meet the expenses incurred to provide food and shelter to women and their children who are victims of domestic violence. These women usually have no means of support and rely on the help provided by Mary Open Doors. Celebrating Birthdays of the Children of Marla’s House of Hope Each month we host parties at Marla’s House of Hope for the children who have had birthdays during that particular month. We provide a birthday cake and soft drinks and give each birthday girl or boy much appreciated birthday gifts. Our ladies who attend these special parties have as much fun as the children as they play games such as musical chairs with the children. Needless to say that the children have a blast when they get to the chairs before the ladies do. Celebrating Christmas with the San Ignacio Families Each year the BIWG hosts a Christmas party for the San Ignacio families that are affected by HIV/AIDS. This party is coordinated along with Nurse Cherry Velasquez and Miriam Rivas of the San Ignacio Poly Clinic. The 2010 Christmas party catered for 19 families that included 47 children at Hode’s in San Ignacio where a very nice lunch with drinks and dessert were provided. In addition the children had fun playing games along with the two Ozzy clowns and our members who were at the party. A Santa Claus and gifts were provided by the San Ignacio Rotary Club for the children while the BIWG ladies distributed boxes of groceries to the nineteen families who were present at the party. Bringing Joy to the Residents of the Palm Center in Belmopan The Palm Center in Belmopan is home to 37 residents who suffer from various mental illnesses. A group of us visit with them at least twice a year. These visits are very special not only to them but to us. We enjoy the interaction and the opportunity to take lunch for them and to serve them. They love receiving small items of gifts that we usually take for them. Before serving them lunch we are usually entertained with singing and dancing by some of the residents. We sing and dance along with them and when we leave them, our spirits are high, knowing that we brought some joy to these patients who very often tend to be forgotten and ignored. The School Library Project After visiting nine schools in Belmopan and in surrounding villages, we selected four schools that would receive assistance for their libraries. In September we delivered sets of tables and chairs each to Frank’s Eddy Government School, St. Matthew’s Government School and Cotton Tree Catholic School. The Roaring Creek Nazarene School was given two picnic tables that they requested. It is the hope of the BIWG that the children will be encouraged to utilise their school libraries if they have comfortable seating facilities. The Belize Cancer Center, Dangriga (Dr. Ellsworth Grant) Effective December 2010, The Belize Cancer Center is being assisted with $200 monthly to help defray the costs of treatment to children who are cancer patients and who come from various rural communities to receive treatment. Because these children come from very poor families and lack proper nutrition, the Center provides treatment to them free of cost as well as free meals. The Western Regional Hospital The BIWG continues to support the Western Regional Hospital by providing packages of clothes for new-borns. Many mothers are unable to provide these for their babies and very often go to the hospital to deliver their babies without adequate or no clothing for the newborns. We have also made a commitment to support the refurbishment of the lounge in the Maternity Ward that will enable pregnant mothers to access information in a comfortable and private area of the hospital. A few ladies have volunteered to be a part of a support group to mothers in providing exclusive breast-feeding to their babies for the first six months. Miscellaneous Provided full set of dentures to an elderly man at a cost of $400. Assisted a young girl to go to Mexico to explore the possibilities of a much needed kidney transplant. The assistance provided was $500. Provided a crib to Marla’s House of Hope at a cost of $210. Assisted with $130 towards medical expenses for a young female. Contributed $300 to Camp Glow. $400 was provided to the Police Cadet. Paid one year’s school tuition, bought uniforms and school books for two sisters at a total cost of $615. Donated mattresses, pillows, linoleum, food, butane gas and tank to an elderly referred by Help Age. Assisted with medical expenses for a mother who needed hip replacements at a cost of $1,200. Bereavement support - $500. Outreach Update - October 2009 Here are a few examples of what we've achieved with the money raised in the past 3 years. Monthly feeding programs totalling $11,000 per year for families, schools and shelters in the Cayo District Thousands of dollars in medical assistance School sponsorship for many children Educational Projects Equipment for schools A monthly birthday party for the children of Marla’s House of Hope Christmas Parties for Marla’s and families in San Ignacio living with AIDS ‘Clothing for Hospitals’ project to help young mothers and their families Assistance for flood and fire victims Assistance to the George Price Centre Summer Reading Programme Sponsorship for the Youth Cadet Group from Blackman Eddy. Sponsorship for Camp Glow, teaching young girls life skills Sponsorship for the Police Cadets annual camp Assistance for The Palm Centre psychiatric facility, Belmopan. Distribution of thousands of books from the UK to rural schools in Belize. … and much, much more

Sandra Hall, President of BIWG presents a cheque to the Red Cross

Outreach Achievements The group has contributed to a 15 year old boy from Las Flores School. These funds will provide much needed uniforms and a pair of shoes. It will also pay for his school fees. Funds were used to pay for plates, bowls, and cups for the King's Children's Home, for over 60 children residing there. Additionl funds also went to pay for school fees and uniforms. Purchase of a microwave for the Baptist Church Programme. Roaring Creek Pre-school; purchase of microwave oven and filing cabinet. January 2007: Sylvia identified a boy - Ernesto - who needed our help with school fees for himself and $40 groceries per month for his family. Dec 2006: Commenced Dora's initiative of the feeding programme for the 4 families living with AIDS in San Ignacio; this is ongoing, with the monthly food parcels to the value of $40 being raised to $50 in July 2007. Thanks go to Miriam Player and her team in San Ignacio for the purchase and assembly of the parcels, and to Dr Goncalves who distributes the parcels to the appropriate families. February 2007: $500 donation was given to Belize Christian Academy for their Easter feeding programme. February 2007: An appeal from Rock Farm, Camelote, to help with donations of clothing and house-ware for a family who's possessions (and home) were totally destroyed by fire resulted in more than enough items necessary - the remainder were put into the next sale or given to the aids families. April 2007: we awarded a station prize for the cycle race of $200. April 2007: we gave $200 to Belmopan Pre-School summer fete toward the cost of the bouncy slide - we understand they raised several hundred dollars as a result. April 2007: After an appeal from Cathy Stevulak and the ladies of the US Embassy, we gave $700 to purchase sets of books for the summer reading programme at the George Price Centre - this initiative was a tremendous success and will be running next summer. July 2007: It was agreed to provide monthly food parcels to a value of $50 per month for an elderly blind lady and also to a family in Belmopan living with AIDS; the group would like volunteers in Belmopan to join the 'shopping roster'.