Photo supplied.
Pictured are children at St. Matthew’s Anglican School in Pomona, Belize, with some donated avocado seedlings and some food donations: 100 pounds of rice, 100 pounds of red beans and 50 pounds of chicken pieces. A strict dress code of expensive uniforms is mandatory for both staff and students at the school.
January, 2023 will witness the final humanitarian trip to Belize by Maureen and Andy Harjula.
There is a tremendous opportunity for someone else to assume the project and continue to help students in Belize with the horrendous school fees.
For example, the cost for an orchard worker to send their child to high school will consume 30% of their salary.
The Belize education system is funded from two sources. The federal government pays for the infrastructure and for teacher’s salaries. Operating funds are derived from school fees.
In some cases, the school fees even include the toilet paper in the washroom. If the fee is not paid, students are denied the use of toilet paper. In addition, many schools do not provide diplomas to students with unpaid fees.
Denise, a graduate in 2019 with the potential of becoming a teacher was denied a full salary because she had not paid all her college fees and therefore she was denied a diploma. A generous local donor corrected this situation in 2022. In the interim, Denise was working as a primary school teacher with a reduced stipend. Denise has three children to feed and a husband in jail.
Andy will spend four weeks in Belize, two weeks volunteering at a new Wellness Centre being built on 90 acres and the site is in need of significant forestry works. One week is vacationing and the final week will involve planting fruit trees at St Matthew Anglican School.
Maureen is volunteering at the same school as Andy as an outreach volunteer. She will be volunteering with children with special needs.
All the students who have been helped up to now will be funded until they graduate from high school or Junior college according to the school they are attending. We are unable to assist any students to advance from their present school to a school of higher learning due to lack of funds and the fact we are too old to continue.
There are numerous success stories that can be credited to our local generous residents by their past donations. Always, 100% of past donations have all been used to help the students or for tree planting.
There are three students at the University of Belize who have sponsors and will graduate with degrees. One student has already graduated and is now working as a high school Spanish teacher.
From the Mayan village, one student is now working as an electrician and another student is working as a primary school teacher.
There are two graduates from the Ecumenical Junior College. One is working at the Immigration Department and the other is working with Amnesty International vetting migrants who have entered Belize.
One of the students we hope to help complete her education is Magda. She is entering a two year college program and the first semester is already funded. Magda lives with her sister because her father left long ago and her mother died of tongue cancer last year. Magda is a typical example of the hardships Belizians live with. Last week their family water was shut off for non-payment of their water bill.
Anyone who would like to help with the Final Belize Project, are invited to contact Andy at 705-277-1825 or andyharjula@gmail.com. Anyone who would take up the exciting challenge of continuing the Belize Project are invited to join us in Belize this January to get the lay of the land. The piece de resistance is free fresh bananas.
By Andy Harjula
