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Belize's Wonder Women! Mrs. Martha Pulido

We are proud to announce that for the month of May, Mrs. Martha Pulido is our Belize Wonder Woman!

Mrs. Martha's love for what she does is truly inspiring. Mrs. Martha leads the Cornerstone Foundation Belize feeding program. She works from early mornings to late nights prepping food for many children and elderly who are less fortunate and cannot afford a nutritious meal. Mrs. Martha also spends her free time volunteering at the Octavia Waight Centre and the local hospital, where she cares for and nurtures patients. Mrs. Martha's home is open to students from other countries, so they can get the real experience of living in Belize. She has been hosting college students for internship and study abroad programs for many years now.

Mrs. Martha embodies the characteristics of empowerment and courage, yet caring, which has impacted so many people in her community!

U.S. Embassy Belize


Joined: Oct 1999
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Belize's Wonder Women! Pauline Soberanis Tillett

We are proud to announce that for the month of June, Pauline Soberanis Tillett is our Belize Wonder Woman.

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world."- Mahatma Gandhi. These words have continuously inspired Pauline to work tirelessly to better her community. Pauline works with the Love Foundation Belize and co-hosts PLUSTV BELIZE Morning Show alongside Fem Cruz. She enjoys working in her community, assisting those who are less fortunate. In her role at the Love Foundation, she oversees the recruitment of children for an after-school program that provides homework assistance, health and fitness education, and exposure to media and arts. Through her work with the Love Foundation, she has developed a relationship with the Rotary Club of Belmopan, helping young adults provide academic assistance to children on Saturdays at the Belmopan Public Library. Pauline is also the Vice-Chair for Women Empowering Families and an announcer on Love FM - News and Music Power.

Pauline has been an active member in many community organizations through the years. She is a Board Member for the Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities. Pauline also served as President of the Parent Teachers Association at the United Evergreen Primary School in Belmopan and Mary Hill RC School in Corozal, where she led projects such as building bus shed for commuting children, installing speed bumps for safe pedestrian crossing, and even lobbying high school scholarships for deserving students.

U.S. Embassy Belize


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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Belize's Wonder Women! Ms. Michele Irving

We are proud to announce that for the month of July, Ms. Michele Irving is our Belize Wonder Woman! One Of The Women Who Help Make Belize Great!

Ms. Michele Irving is an activist from Stann Creek District. She has been involved in community development work for the past 25 years. Her passion is working in the area of Gender and Development for women and girls. Ms. Michele Irving is currently the Women's Department Officer for the Stann Creek District. Her work focuses on the prevention and intervention of Domestic Violence Cases and empowerment of women and youth in both urban and rural communities. This work takes her into many communities and villages in Southern Belize, where she discusses with women the changes they want to see in their communities and in their own lives.

Ms. Michele Irving is also the Coordinator of POWA (Productive Organization for Women in Action), a community based organization in Dangriga, which provides advice and support for victims of Gender Based Violence and HIV/AIDS. One of the objectives of POW is the elimination of violence against women and girls.

Ms. Michele Irving also created a girls group that teaches leadership skills to girls and conducts talk sessions for victims of sexual violence. She also provides them with counseling and directs them to organizations that can assist them.

U.S. Embassy Belize


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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Belize's Wonder Women! Nilda Ninette Sosa Riverol

We are proud to announce that for the month of August, Nilda Ninette Sosa Riverol is our Belize Wonder Woman.

Besides being a mother of two boys, ages 8 and 4, 33 year old Nilda Riverol is employed by the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service BELTRAIDE since September 2011. As a person who was humbly brought up in the once village of "Las Flores", now a community that forms part of the City of Belmopan, Nilda is very passionate about the work she does, as she believes that the impact and positive change we want in our economy is not the responsibility of one individual but the collective efforts of an active and supportive ecosystem, and those are the efforts she advocates for. Nilda has held several positions in this institution including: Public Relations and Events Coordinator, where she spearheaded several initiatives in the area of public relations inclusive of the development of Belize's Investment Magazine "Invest Belize". She has also held the positions of Sr. Business Advisor and Assistant Director for BELTRAIDE's Small Business Development Centre Belize (SBDCBelize). In 2013 she was promoted to Director/Manager of this unit. Under her capacity as Manager of SBDCBelize, Nilda works towards fostering an environment that efficiently coordinates the competitiveness and development of Micro Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMES) and Entrepreneurs. She has the ability to develop and maintain local, regional, and international professional networks, with the objective to provide a comprehensive business support ecosystem.

Nilda has played a key role in the coordination and development of Belize's MSME Policy and Strategy (2012) and Belize's National Entrepreneurship Strategy (2015)-which delivered an implementation work plan for Belize's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. As the point of contact for most of the MSME initiatives and projects spearheaded within the Central American Integration System (SICA) region, she sits in several local and regional committees in the areas of MSME and Entrepreneurship development. Currently, Nilda, along with the Ministry of Education, sits in the regional working committee for the integration of Entrepreneurship into the Educational system- both at a regional and national level, and has assisted the University of Belize in the design of its first Entrepreneurship Course- Level 1. Nilda is also Belize's representative in the regional working committee who is designing the Regional Accreditation Standards -for the Small Business Development Centers in the SICA region, and will spearhead the participation of SBDCBelize in the accreditation process of the Centre in the upcoming months. Belize will be one of three countries to participate in this process, with the objective of generating an improvement plan of its processes- service delivery to enterprises and entrepreneurs, within a standard that is regionally recognized. Since 2013 Nilda has been involved in the development, implementation and monitoring of several projects and initiatives that cater towards MSME and Entrepreneurship Development, inclusive of Belize's National Entrepreneurship Conference (EntreCon), which is one of the many activities that form part of Belize's National Month of Entrepreneurship, introduced by SBDCBelize in commemoration of the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), in November of every year.

In April of this year Nilda participate in the U.S. State Department International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) "Women and Entrepreneurship II" which is a multi- regional project that seeks to provide opportunities to foreign current and emerging leaders, and expose them to entrepreneurial efforts led by government, and non-government grassroots organizations to further aid them in the development of their countries' entrepreneurial initiatives. The main objective of this program is to explore various business models, support mechanisms, and innovations to support MSMEs and foster an entrepreneurial mindset. Nilda is now a member of the U.S. online International Exchange Alumni where she can tap into resources and continue to build her network to contribute and strengthen the work currently being done by SBDCBelize, BELTRAIDE.

U.S. Embassy Belize


Joined: Oct 1999
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Belize's Wonder Women! Kaya C. Cattouse

We are proud to announce that for the month of September, Kaya C. Cattouse is our Belize Wonder Woman!

While growing up, Kaya always excelled in sporting activities. And now, she has blossomed into a multi-sport athlete with a profound interest in cycling. She got her very first road bike at the age of 12, and at age 13, she raced in Mexico with the male junior cyclists. Her first elite female race with the Belize Cycling Association was at the age of 16. She has participated in local, regional, and international races.

Kaya is presently the National Sports Coordinator at the National Sports Council in Belize City. Her job allows her to impart values and discipline to youths through sports. Being a strong athlete has been the cornerstone for her growth and development as an admirable female athlete in Belize. Kaya remains cognizant that being an athlete requires immense discipline, dedication, and determination. Kaya is a very strong advocate for female cyclists. In an effort to encourage and attract more young females to cycling, she has singlehandedly organized and executed a Summer Cycling Series for youths between the ages of 3 and 18 every summer for the last five years. In 2016, she organized an annual High School Cycling Event for all the secondary institutions within the Belize District. From this initiative, new faces were welcomed into the female cycling arena.

Her passion for sports is viewed as a hobby and often times suppressed by the entities that manage sports in Belize; however, her drive and determination take her to places she once only dreamed of reaching. Undoubtedly, there have been challenges along the way, but she reminds herself that "What doesn't kill you makes you strong" and that "The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams."

U.S. Embassy Belize


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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Belize's Wonder Women! Carla Alvarez

We are proud to announce that for the month of October, Carla Alvarez is our Belize Wonder Woman!

Ms. Carla Alvarez has been an educator all of her adult life. She believes in community service, and has been a volunteer at the Corozal Mercy Kitchen and youth groups. During the 11 years that she taught at Anglican Cathedral College, besides being Head of Department, CXC Examiner, ATLIB Table Leader, part-time lecturer, she also served in the school feeding program and mentored at risk students.

In 2007, Ms. Alvarez was seconded to the Ministry of Education as a Coordinator. Two years later, she was promoted to District Education Manager and currently holds that post in the Orange Walk District. Ms. Alvarez has oversight of education at all levels in Orange Walk, is the Executive Liaison Officer in Belize for CECC/SICA, and serves on a Multi-agency committee. She works on deterring child labor and abuse in her district. One of her initiatives is a parenting program in vulnerable communities in Orange Walk. It is her belief that better prepared parents will yield children better prepared to learn.

In January 2018, Ms. Alvarez participated in the U.S. Department of State International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) "Education in the Digital Age", which exposed her to trends in educational technologies and approaches to preparing teachers to incorporate digital tools in their classroom. One of her initiatives starting this month in Orange Walk is a Coderdojo at a local high school with the intention to expand to other schools. This Coderdojo, affiliated with the international organization in Ireland, is different from others in Belize because it is a free, volunteer-led, community-based programming club for young people. It is first of its kind in Orange Walk and Belize. Ms. Alvarez possesses a Master's Degree in Secondary Education and a Master's Degree in Teacher Education. She attests that her greatest blessing in life is her son.

U.S. Embassy Belize


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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Belize's Wonder Women! Michelle Carrasco

We are proud to announce that for the month of November, Michelle Carrasco is our Belize Wonder Woman!

Michelle grew up on the beautiful island of Caye Caulker. At the age of 11 she left the island to further her education in Belize City where she has lived most of her life. She is a proud mother of two beautiful children who she loves dearly. Over the years she has faced a lot of struggles in the pursuit of achieving a career and personal development.

In 2015, Michelle broke her silence and shared her story on social media about surviving domestic abuse and from since then she knew this was her calling. To stand up and be "THE VOICE" for those who find themselves in the same situation in our country and around the world. She has worked tirelessly in helping different organizations, as well as, individuals who reach out to her for assistance or support. She believes in giving back to civil society and to serve selflessly and with humility when called upon. It took her a lot of sacrifice, faith, hope, determination, endurance and a spirit of resilience to overcome all that life has thrown at her. However, she never gives up despite how bad a situation may seem. She always sees and believes the best in others.

Her passion and drive will always be to advocate for those affected by any type of gender base violence and her greatest hope is to see a Toll Free Hotline Number established in the country for those who seek help on these issues.

U.S. Embassy Belize


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Belize's Wonder Women! Michelle Ashanti Williams

For the month of December we are proud to announce that Michelle Ashanti Williams is our Belize Wonder Woman!

Ms. Williams is an experienced yoga teacher trained in many forms of yoga like traditional Hatha, Trauma Informed, Children's and Restorative Yoga. She credits Yoga, Mindfulness, Therapy and other forms of wellness for her ongoing recovery from depression and anxiety.

Michelle is also the proud founder of ROC - Rhythm of Change Belize (ROC), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and implementing activities that bring forth individual, social and environmental changes in Belize. It promotes peace-building in order to create better communities in Belize. Her accomplishments where recently showcased in a documentary titled, "The Power of Yoga."

She is also the founder of The Belize International Yoga Festival (BIYF). Which is a non-alcoholic, family friendly, annual event designed to bring together yoga and meditation practitioners, aspirants and the general public from Belize and around the world to enjoy soulful moments of wellness, healing, relaxation and reflection. This festival is a time for positive interactions which is vitally important for the well-being of our communities, country and the world. It is the first of its kind in Belize and the region; patterned after similar festivals around the world and It is the signature fundraising event for the ROC.

Michelle works closely with domestic violence and human trafficking victims as well as children affected by gang violence, neglect, abandonment, sexual abuse and other traumas. She offers workshops designed to help caregivers working with trauma victims understand vicarious trauma and develop tools for their own self-care. She has always showcased a caring and selfless spirit.

U.S. Embassy Belize


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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Belize's Wonder Women! Anna Maria Lopez Smith

For the month of February we are proud to announce that Anna Maria Lopez Smith is our Belize Wonder Woman!

Anna Maria Lopez-Smith is a dedicated Belmopan community member, a tireless advocate against domestic violence, and a passionate entrepreneur.

Anna was born in Belize City in 1965. When she turned five, her father moved the family to Belmopan. At an early age, Anna learned the values of hard work on the family farm and in the family business. After graduating from high school, Anna worked in different fields, including managing the first propane depot in Belmopan, as a payroll clerk for Hummingbird Hershey, painting signs and greeting cards, and selling pizza at her dad's pharmacy.

After graduating from the Pharmacy School in 1991, Anna got married and had two children. Just four years later, she reopened the Lopez Pharmacy. It was during that time that she set out on a spiritual journey. Ten years ago, Anna started a small floral business, specializing in arrangements made exclusively of tropical flowers and leaves grown in her garden. She also ventured into a small housekeeping business.

In 2011, Anna and her husband opened a small five-bedroom Bed & Breakfast. Since then, the Inn at Twin Palms has been TripAdvisor's #1 Bed & Breakfast in Belize for seven consecutive years as well as #1 in Central America and #13 of Top 25 B&B's in the World, having hosted over 3000 guests! The B&B has grown into a very successful 16-room boutique hotel.

Anna enjoys dancing, cooking, painting and gardening, but is happiest when caring for others. Today, she is most passionate about sharing her spiritual journey of fasting and praying with other women and encouraging them to look to God first. She lives life to the fullest each day with her husband of 25 years.

U.S. Embassy Belize


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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Belize's Wonder Women! Sandra Pollard Hall

For the month of March, we are proud to announce that Sandra Pollard Hall is our Belize Wonder Woman!

Sandra has worked for Belize as a Civil Servant and as an advocate for women and children. She gained a wealth of experience in the government sector both as Permanent Secretary and as Chief Executive Officer of several Ministries. Her passion and commitment to make a difference have been evident throughout her career. During her tenure of service with UNICEF Belize, she liaised with Government to ensure the implementation of the UNICEF Belize Country Programme and co-managed the first UNICEF Children's Advisory Committee that allowed children to become actively engaged in promoting the human rights of children. As Chairperson of the National Committee for Families and Children, she monitored the implementation of the National Plan of Action for Children and Adolescents that addressed education, health, child protection, HIV/AIDS, family and culture.

Retired, Sandra is active in her community and hopes to make a difference. She serves on the Board of Directors of Marla's House of Hope, a home that provides a safe and nurturing environment for girls who have experienced abuse or neglect. Sandra is a member of the Board of Directors of the Children of Hope Foundation-Belize securing educational support for children up to tertiary level. She also created the Mountain View Neighbourhood Watch Group and as Coordinator, addresses issues that promote safety for residents. Sandra believes that we are our brother's keeper and should leave this world a little better than we found it.

U.S. Embassy Belize


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