Georgeville Single Mother Gets Keys To A New Home

For one Georgeville mother, a weekend of hard work by a team of volunteers has turned into a lifetime of opportunity. Lauren Myvett and her two young daughters now have a brand-new home after Hand in Hand Ministries teamed up with employee volunteers from Belize Bank’s San Ignacio Branch to build the house over the weekend. The new home gives Myvett, a self-employed nail technician, more than just a roof over her family’s heads. It gives her a place to raise her daughters, grow her business and finally put down roots. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

After years of renting and moving from place to place, one mother of two can finally put down roots. Lauren Myvett, a small business owner, has received a home of her own thanks to Hands in Hand Ministry and Belize Bank. The keys were handed over this morning in Georgeville, marking a fresh start for Myvett and her two daughters as they finally have a place to call home.

 

Lauren Myvett, Homeowner

“It’s really actually a blessing. Even when it comes to my children, it is a blessing because I am able to work from home, and I can cook my food, and my baby can come home, come eat her hot food in the afternoon, and she’s close to home. So I’m able to watch my own child as my little one, she doesn’t have to go to any babysitter and anyone. So I’m able to raise my kids at home and still making a living for us.”

 

The house was bult in just four days, with the help of Myvett’s family and friends, experts from Hand in Hand Ministries, and the dedicated team of volunteers from the Belize Bank San Ignacio branch. This marks the bank and ministry’s fifteenth home-building partnership. Branch Manager Ricardo Pineda says staff eagerly volunteered their time to give back to the community.

 

Ricardo Pineda, Branch Manager, Branch Manager, San Ignacio

“It’s more of a philosophy for the bank. It’s part of our responsibilities as well as citizen, as part of a country and being a leader within our, our industry. the bank has always done projects like this, um, where it might not, not just be about building a home for a family, but also involved in other, community building efforts, right? So it’s an ongoing initiative and the bank and the leadership team are very adamant in terms of that and the bank will continue to provide this level of assistance to families and individuals across the country.”

 

For over two decades, Hand in Hand Ministries has been providing Belizeans with places to call home, with Myvett’s being the five hundred and seventy-fourth donated house. Applicants undergo screening to determine their level of need. While the ministry cannot help everyone, Codirector Shannon Stuart says it prioritizes families who would benefit most.

 

Shannon Stuart, Co-Director, Building for Change Program, Hand in Hand Ministries

“We had quite a number of people that had applied for this house, for this housing assistance. But at the end of the day, Lauren was the one that was most in need, and we and Belize Bank decided to partner with us for the fifteenth time, this year. And I must say that that is very amazing because it’s partnerships like these that help us to fulfill our mission, which is to provide stable homes and safe homes for people that are in need of housing assistance.”

 

Myvett began her journey as a nail technician back in high school and has since garnered a loyal-customer base which she has now brought back to her hometown of Georgeville. Despite already decorating her new space, she remains shocked and recalls the moment she got the news from Hand in Hand Ministries.

 

Lauren Myvett

“Miss Shannon was like, good morning, Lauren. I have good news for you. So I was like, tell me please. Tell me the good news. And she was like, I just want you to know that the Belize Bank Limited chose you to build your house. And I just started to scream and, and I started to cry and she said, no crying, Miss Lauren, you need to get these things done.” And I was like, can you please send me that in writing? Because at this moment I will not remember anything that you’re telling me. I’m in tears of joy right now. And she’s like, don’t worry about it. Congratulations, Miss Lauren. That was the beginning of a new beginning for me.”

 

Belize Bank and Hand in Hand Ministries say they hope to continue partnering to provide more families with safe, secure homes of their own. Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

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.

 

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