$5.2 Million U.S. Grant Set to Boost Community Development
A new round of funding is set to flow into communities across Belize, and the focus is on projects that meet people where they are. This morning, the Basic Needs Trust Fund, an arm of the Caribbean Development Bank, launched its eleventh cycle of investments in Belize, announcing a five point two million U.S. dollar grant for development projects through the Belize Social Investment Fund. But BNTF’s impact is not measured only in dollars and infrastructure. It is measured in the lives improved, the communities strengthened, and the opportunities created on the ground. The Belize Social Investment Fund has already identified several projects that will benefit from this latest round of funding.
Carlos Tun
Carlos Tun, Executive Director, Belize Social Investment Fund
“We successfully implemented BNTF 10 and then based on the good implementation we were able to get this grant for BNTF 11. There are two sectors that BNTF works with, the education sector and the water sector. For the education sector we have four programs, or four projects. The kinder in Corozal which is a preschool. The construction of a primary school, Saint Paul’s Anglican in Corozal. The Pete Lizarraga Preschool in San Estevan and the Saint John Baptist School in Saint Jospeh. We have two water sector, Fire Burn in Orange Walk and the Otoxha water system in Toledo.”
Issac Solomon
Dr. Issac Solomon, Vice President of Operations, CDB
“BNTF has been our flagship program which essentially deals with the most vulnerable in our communities, helping us to assist in our mandate and purpose which is to transform lives. And so in the development arena as countries are embarking on different things to ensure development take place, BNTF is one lever ensuring that development is equitable and inclusive.”
The Basic Needs Trust Fund has invested over twenty-three million U.S. dollars in Belize’s development over the last twenty-five years.
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
Watch the full newscast here: