Jacito Teaches Belizean Children to Create Opportunities

With jobs sometimes difficult to find and the cost of living continuing to climb, one Belizean educator wants children to start thinking differently about their financial future. Instead of simply preparing young people to search for employment, Dr. Carol Babb is teaching them how to create opportunities of their own. Her latest children’s book, Jacito Becomes an Entrepreneur, turns the complicated process of launching a business into a practical lesson young readers can understand. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

A dog-care business may sound like a simple childhood dream, but for Jacito, it becomes his first lesson in entrepreneurship. In the fourth installment of Dr. Carol Babb’s financial literacy series, the young character discovers that a successful business requires more than a good idea. It takes research, planning, financing and the courage to get started.

 

Dr. Carol Babb, Author

“The heart of this entire book is a deep conversation between a grandson in the planning stages of his dream, and a grandmother who challenges him to grow. When he shared his big vision of a doggy care business, she does not give him an easy path. Instead, she ask him the tough questions. She forces him to research on Google to uncover the facts for himself, mapping out the vision, the mission, the necessary supplies, and the specialized equipment needed to make this business a reality.”

 

The grandmother guiding Jacito through that process was inspired by the late Jane Usher, a pioneer who spent much of her life promoting savings, responsible borrowing and financial independence. The book carries those lessons forward, introducing them to a new generation through a relatable conversation between a grandmother and her grandson.

 

Clement Usher, Chief Financial Officer, HRCU

“Miss Jane spent all her life encouraging people to save. Never was it more important to have savings than when the world came to an almost standstill when COVID-19 reared its ugly head. Many people lost their jobs. Some were put on half pay. Almost everyone struggled to make ends meet, except, except for those people who had savings to fall back on. If only we had listened to Miss Jane when she was encouraging us to save. Dr. Babb has now taken up that challenge of educating us on financial literacy through her Jacito series of storybooks.”

 

The Jacito series has gradually walked young readers through the fundamentals of managing money, including earning, saving and budgeting. This latest chapter goes a step further by showing children how those skills can help them build a business, support themselves and possibly create jobs for others.

 

Geridene Reneau, Chief Librarian, Leo Bradley Library

“These lessons are especially important in today’s economic climate, as global crises and rising costs continue to affect the prices of goods and services. Understanding how to earn, save, budget, and invest wisely is essential to making informed financial decisions and building resilience in the face of economic challenges. Through this series, you are doing more than telling a story. You are equipping readers with knowledge that can positively influence their financial choices and their future.”

 

But the book does not present entrepreneurship as an easy road. Jacito must determine what his business will cost, identify the equipment he needs and consider how he will finance the venture. Young readers are also introduced to saving, qualifying for a loan, calculating repayments and seeking support from a credit union. The message is simple: a dream may provide the spark, but a solid plan turns that dream into a business.

 

Dr. Carol Babb, Author

“As an educator, I want to see students create their own businesses. Too many times people are unemployed, and you ask them, ‘So why you don’t have a job?’ they say, ‘Well, I di look for job all over.’ We want them to change that mindset. We want them to create their own businesses. That’s why we need to teach them the skills, and that’s why there’s an HRCU that exists, that they can get a loan if they meet the requirements.”

 

Member-owners of HRCU can receive a free copy of Jacito Becomes an Entrepreneur at their nearest branch. The book is also available for purchase at The Angelus Press in Belize City and through the DigiWallet Merch Store. 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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