The construction with bags of earth of a reception center for abused, abandoned and at risk children / adolescents (5,500 out of total country population 300,000, UNICEF) was supported, according to the model of a 100% eco-sustainable solidarity farm. The agricultural project was launched to guarantee food self-sufficiency and a small income.
The common thread that unites the "Rainbow Belize" projects is the recovery-prevention of situations of high psychosocial risk to which children and minors are severely exposed: crack at a very young age (even at 8 years of age), child prostitution, child trafficking and trafficking of organs, recruitment in Central American drug trafficking, gang life .. during the four-year period 2012-2015, models of social agriculture and horticulture-therapy were promoted as rehabilitation programs for the recovery of minors at risk; a street education program (traditional indigenous music and dances) was carried out as positive alternatives to street life, and training of local NGOs and community leaders on these issues was carried out to raise awareness of action on child and youth hardship.
General objective
Improve the psychosocial well-being of orphans, abused, abandoned, street children.
Design socio-economic interventions through pilot projects in social agriculture and horticultural therapy.
Promote quality of life (QOL) by providing education and training.
Educate about health and nutrition.
Providing psychosocial assistance.
Specific Objectives
Create local micro-economies by recovering weak targets through social agriculture.
Contribute to a healthy nutritional style and a diversified diet.
Create eco-compatible and eco-sustainable infrastructures, eg. the use of the earth sack technique.
Create and implement infrastructures for the production, distribution and sale of solidarity products.
Expected results
Adequate levels of psychosocial well-being for the beneficiaries involved in the program, thanks to direct involvement in productive activities.
Promotion of Human Development through the activation of socio-economic dynamics.
Direct participation of the beneficiaries in the production processes.
A virtuous model of development, replicable and repeatable in similar intervention contexts.
Actors
Rainbow Belize:
http://www.rainbowprojects.it
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rainbow-Belize-project/216084755070216;
Pino Scotto, On the Road, Real Vision Production, Hibu Brewery, MPE;
Barzakh Falah NGO: Barzakh Falah's mission is to guarantee a safe, loving and self-sufficient reception center for orphaned, abandoned and abused children in Belize www.barzakhfalah.com
Attached
Need Analysis
There are currently 5,500 abandoned children in Belize (total pop. 333,000 in 2010), many of them victims of abuse, violence and prostitution (UNICEF, 2007). Since there are no reception and care facilities intended for them, the consequence is that these children in large numbers have been assigned to the corrupt foster care system or - in the majority of cases - left to their fate on the street.
The foster care system in Belize offers little hope for the future of these children, as host families try to take advantage of the few dollars (about 3 euros) that the government makes available, regardless of their human development. There is therefore an evident need for permanent reception centers in Belize.
In addition to the controversial situation of foster care, there are many problems related to the legislation, which establishes by law: the obligation to reallocate children after only 3 months: this continuous change affects the psychological state of health, translating into experiences of abandonment, and trauma in development. The definitive release from the system at the age of 16, without a guide or any type of accompaniment; direct consequence is the return to street life
Local context
Belize, as a developing country (DC), struggles to overcome the numerous challenges and social problems resulting from the considerable state of poverty.
The Country Poverty Assessment drawn up by the UNDP shows that 33.5% of the population continues to live below the poverty line (in rural areas the percentage is 44.2%), of which 10% in a state of poverty and 22 % of matriarchal mononuclear families in conditions of extreme difficulty (UNDP, 2009 Country Report).
1/3 of the population does not have access to an adequate amount of food, while 1/9 is unable to satisfy basic food needs. The country's economic situation is gradually worsening due to the increase in public debt (97%). The district of Cayo, in the North West of the country and bordering Guatemala, reports poverty rates (P: I :) equal to 41%.
The Belizeno state does not have sufficient economic resources, personnel and facilities to support psychosocial and health assistance / education programs.
The issues that Barzakh Falah is currently facing are to change the reallocation policy by 3 months, increase the age of taking charge of the system, and raise funds to give these children the opportunity to have a reception and care center. permanent.
Activities
Psychosocial Area:
Community gardens as a productive, rehabilitative and educational tool (nutrition and health). Particular emphasis will be given to traditional indigenous foods and Mayan natural remedies
Implementation of ongoing projects in Barzakh Falam: creation of a reception center which is a permanent residence for 52 orphans
Awareness raising, education, prevention, psychosocial counseling and health care
Training sessions for local Human Resources on techniques and methods.
Human Development Area:
Pilot activity in social agriculture: cultivation, processing and sale (vegetables, herbs, fruit and plants with high nutritional value (eg oil palm)
Training and skills development
Specific training on agricultural micro cooperatives
Construction of a 100% eco-friendly and eco-sustainable house-farm for orphans, creation of a small eco-farm
Creating a solidarity label for the sale of products and raising awareness of the solidarity dimension of the purchase, in line with total eco-sustainability
Technical Project Data
Continent
AMERICA
village
BELIZE
Location
BARZAKH FALAH
Project start
2011
Duration
2 YEARS
Project status
CONCLUDED
Project manager
CATERINA VETRO
Project Cost
€ 00,000
Contact