WOMEN'S DEPARTMENT COMPLETES THIRD PHASE OF SINGLE WOMEN'S PROJECT

The third cycle of the "Supporting Single Mothers in Belize City Project" being carried out by the Women's Department has come to a close. The session began in July of this year and a commencement exercise is scheduled for tomorrow evening at the Belize Elementary School Gymnasium. Love News spoke with Cynthia Williams Human Development Coordinator at the Women's Department.

Cynthia Williams; Human Development Coordinator, Women's Department 

"56 women have completed the program. These women have undergone training in cosmetology, child care services, housekeeping and sewing. These participants are single mothers who range from 17 to 48 years and the sessions were held in the evenings where child care services were also provided for them. In this way the participants were able to sometimes also work or engage in other types of activities that could sustain them and their children while undergoing the training."
Williams says that a part of the project is assisting the women in getting employment."

Cynthia Williams

"The women also received additional session that we thought were necessary for them to be able to receive a more holistic training when it comes to knowing their labor rights, commercial sexual exploitation of children, domestic violence, sexual and reproductive health, parenting and personal financial planning sessions. We felt that all these issues would be able to be addressed through the different extra sessions for them to be able to be more informed and more confident when they go into the employment field. What we also do is those participants who finish the program are entered into an employment referral database. As much as possible wherever there are employment opportunities we look at it and then these opportunities are offered to them. So if anyone is interested in obtaining services from any of these women you can contact the Women's Department. These areas as I have mentioned before include sewing, child care, housekeeping or cosmetology."

The graduation ceremony will begin at six p-m. Those interested in employing one of graduates can contact the Women's Department at 227-7397.

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