The COVID-19 financial crisis has brought Belize even harder times than usual, but it's also revealed a philanthropic spirit among the many Belizean businesses that have offered a helping hand to the most needy.
We've told you about the food packages provided by Belize City's Indian community and today we caught up with them as they prepared to hand out 200 additional packages to the residents of the Collett area.
Dinesh Bhojwani, Former President of the Community says plans are in the works to extend their food assistance efforts for a longer period of time.
Dinesh Bhojwani, Representative, Belize Indian Community
"This is not something that's gonna go away in the next two to three weeks when this program kind of comes to an end so one of the things we're trying to organize is to see how we can do something on a more permanent basis hopefully not permanent because permanence would mean that the problem persists so hopefully we can do it for as long as the problem persists and hopefully that's not too long."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Now, Sir we know the Indian community chose to work through the standard-bearers. Was there a more egalitarian way that you guys could have chosen to go about this?"
Dinesh Bhojwani
"Well, if you want to look at it in an egalitarian way standard bearers and area representatives represent the entire city in some capacity and so, one of the things is because they're always on the ground they easily can identify the individuals who, as we said, we didn't have the logistics or the wherewithal to identify who slipped through the cracks, who were not part of a program, the shut-ins, the elderly so that I think they have a better understanding of that so we figured by giving it to all the area representatives and standard bearers we'd have better coverage and a more egalitarian way of doing it."
Oscar Arnold, Standard-bearer
"I personally was in area 18, what I consider ---street and Banak street the other day when we were doing some from our community and we didn't miss any house. This is not a time where there's only a certain number or certain types of people who are being affected."
"Having been on the ground for almost a year and a half now we know for example the shut-ins, the elderly people who really are having a hard time. There were quite a few people who were having a difficult time before COVID and even now people who used to be able to look after themselves have also now fallen on these Dire straits. So we know those individuals and it will go to the individuals and the families who really haven't received government assistance or even been able to be approved for the pantry program."
"Any contribution is welcomed. We have a continued COVID response, in so far as trying to provide grocery items and food items for the people in Collett. One of the most depressed areas in the city."
The Indian Community will distribute 200 more food packages tomorrow, this time from the Samuel Haynes Center for excellence.
Email
Print