Ecotourism: ‘Giving Back’ While You Travel, History of Indian Church Development Project in Belize

A group of artists, architects and archaeologists determined in aspect by the tireless initiatives of K. Pierce have been volunteering to function with the citizens of Indian Church Village in Belize to assist them set up a local craft workshop, or cottage marketplace, to make high quality Maya crafts that they can market to tourists. Our initiatives also involve instruction-centered applications, like a library and literacy workshops, as properly as a scholarship system. We hope this will inevitably provide an economic and instruction foundation for several of the people who reside in this extremely rural village (a village that will not even have electric power and whose university finishes for students at age 13!).
Indian Church Village Artisans, Belize (ICVA)
In the summer season of 2000, we ended up awarded a little grant to train crafts to the people today of the village of Indian Church in Belize and to aid integrate the community with the Lamanai archaeological site. We have been doing the job on this craft-instruction project given that that time. In excess of the earlier a long time quite a few artwork workshops for the citizens of Indian Church Village have been performed. We are emphasizing Maya art, especially that found at the Lamanai web-site, as effectively as the revival of historic craft traditions. There are four teams now and they include steel smiths, potters, stone carvers, and a stitching group.
A local community-centered organization identified as Indian Church Village Artisans (ICVA) has now been fashioned and registered with the govt of Belize. We have been awarded a grant from the British Higher Commission to create a craft center in the village. The developing was done in 2003 and it is now critical to proceed to seek out further funding for equipment and equipment, as very well as funding to teach a lot more lessons. The venture also secured funding as a result of the initiatives of K. Pierce from Rotary Global and Belize’s Social Investment decision Fund (SIF), which has supplied a reliable photo voltaic power system, lessons, and provides for the artisans.
Indian Church Village Library
The Indian Church Village Library in Belize was opened in July 2004, it is open up 4 times a 7 days, it provides Summer time Examining Incentive Courses, adult literacy classes, and a reliable place for pupils to study. Modern fund raising endeavours secured a year salary for the librarian, developed a 10′ x 16′ addition, and extra shelving and other necessary home furnishings. It carries on to require support, equally fiscally and through the donation of provides. The librarian has been properly trained by workshops by the Belize Nationwide Library Assistance (BNLS).
Indian Church Village Scholarship System
There are around 9 learners from Indian Church Village in Belize who have been awarded a scholarship and are likely to faculty previous the age of 13 (which is the typical age to end simply because there is no college close by AND it is extremely pricey to more their instruction). A Canadian non-income group referred to as S.H.A.R.E. has performed a massive section in this as properly as the personal fund raising efforts of K. Pierce. These learners have to travel at minimum 1 hour away (some 2 hours) and need to remain in a secure dwelling throughout the week in purchase to go to center and substantial university. The price tag of this is out of attain to a lot of residents of this compact, remote village.
Further than Touring a ecotourism organization that promotes eco & heritage tourism opportunities in element monetarily assist this local community improvement project.