Belizean Businesses Awarded $7,500 Boost for Plastic Solutions

Two Belizeans lead the charge against plastic pollution, and now, they’ve got some serious backing. The Sea of Life Caribbean has awarded its Plastic Solutions Academy grants to these innovators, giving their eco-friendly ideas the boost they need to make a real impact. This year’s recipients are Zero Belize, a Corozal-based business developing biodegradable plastic film from sargassum and seaweed, and 501 Bae, an eco-travel brand founded by influencer Wendy Rosales, who will use the fellowship to promote sustainable tourism through refillable and reusable options. The program is funded by the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future, which provides seven thousand five hundred dollars in support along with mentorship and market access through their partners.  We spoke with Josue Oliva, from the Belize Fund who shared insights on the importance of supporting local innovation through this initiative.

 

Josue Oliva, Program Manager, Belize Fund For A Sustainable Future

“The Belize Fund, in its third call for proposals, Sea of Life applied. They submitted their concept paper which was accepted and then moved on to the proposal development stage. I believe, if I remember correctly, they also got support from a consultant to help them develop their full proposal, so they got consultancy support. This project is looking at building capacities and ensuring that plastics, looking at plastics, and creating a program that would allow Belizeans and businesses to be able to do something with plastics. Although plastic is something that we have to live for our entire lives with, we have to look at opportunities and that’s what Sea of Life is doing. Sea of Life is looking at creating like an academy that would allow participants to come in, learn about the businesses that they can grow; and the use of plastics, and be able to build out of it. It’s supposed to be within a two-year period for them to implement a one hundred- and fifty-thousand-dollar grant. Whereby they will be training and building capacity and hopefully giving them, I think, some grants that will allow participants to build on the businesses that they want.”