Two weeks ago, The Belize Foundation team visited Belize to work on multiple projects. One of our major projects is understanding the prevalence of diabetes in Belize, which is the #1 cause of death in the country. Through our trip, we found that local communities do not have sufficient information, technology, or support to combat the disease and raise awareness. In honor of World Diabetes Day on November 14, we have launched a fundraiser to support a youth organization, the Youth Wellness Ambassadors, that is actively working to spread knowledge and promote ways to effectively manage the “silent killer.” Find out more on the Fundraising Page, and donate or share what you can. Help us fight diabetes and give the gift of health to Belizeans this holiday season!

For more information on diabetes in Belize, review this report on the statistics, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.

 

 

A method of learning that uses technology as its backbone, distance learning helps enrich lives and the reach of educational institutions. In developing nations, such as Belize, that find difficulty in reaching all of its students due to rough terrain, distance learning is a potential solution to allow students to learn virtually rather than directly in a classroom setting.

The distance learning model has been used in the past in countries like China, India, and Egypt, Mexico, and Nigeria and has been proven to work in bringing educational access to places where there would otherwise be no access (UNESCO).

Distance learning is aimed at helping bring universal education to all in a world where the need for education is becoming more and more demanding. However, there are many challenges that Belize is facing. First, there is a discrepancy between the supply and demand for skilled workers, with the demand being much higher than the supply. Second, the nation is struggling with poverty and lack of sufficient tertiary educational institutions. Lastly, many Belizeans cannot afford secondary and tertiary school costs, and end up dropping out of school after primary education.

There are several challenges in developing distance learning in Belize. The paper discusses a distance learning experiment between Belize and America (specifically East Austin), and the challenges, failures, and lessons that were collected from the experiment. Due to sheer distance, cost, and difficulty in communication (whether that be technological or cultural), distance learning is much harder to implement than was initially expected.

 

 

Report: Distance Learning and Belize – Opportunities and Challenges

In 2003 a group of students and researchers from The University of Texas at Austin visited seven Mesoamerican/Caribbean nations to provide comparative recommendations for establishment of a Belize Education, Science & Technology (BEST) Park.

Report: Knowledge-Based Benchmarking for Belize Education, Science & Technology (BEST) Park – 2004

BELIZE EDUCATION, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (BEST) PARK

This report examines the assets and challenges for accelerated technology based development in the Mesoamerican (Caribbean/Central American) region to determine the feasibility of creating a sustainable education, science, and technology (BEST) park in Belize.