Country Welcome for Belize

2025 was an exciting year, one in which we began to realize our new vision for Peace Corps Belize. During the most intense period (January through October), we had three cohorts of the Youth Empowered by Sports (YES) Volunteers on the ground together. Imagine, over 60 Volunteers in communities all over the country working closely with the National Sports Council (NSC), the Department of Youth Services (DYS), and sports organizations to ensure that Belizean youth adopt healthy lifestyles and strengthen their ability to use sports as a pathway to new life opportunities. We are very thankful to the first cohort of YES who served with intention, passion, and patience; many of the project’s improvements can be attributed to them. By year’s end, YES 1 was back in the United States—some in graduate school, some working, and others recommitting to additional Peace Corps service in other countries.

During this busy year, Peace Corps staff continued amazing efforts to establish new partnerships and expand our efforts into rural communities. The team carefully crafted an integrated service approach in which YES Volunteers, transfer Volunteers who’d served in other countries, and 3rd-year extension Volunteers supported classroom literacy needs that were identified by Response Volunteers working in the Education sector. It made sense that Volunteers with strong connections at schools could help with Read Aloud and library activities, amplifying efforts by Response Volunteers to close gaps across the education system, while also working in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM), special needs, and early childhood education. We thank Chief Gongorra at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, & Technology for allowing YES Volunteers to support teachers in classrooms.

Response Volunteers are an incredible asset to the Belize program, and we recognize the challenge of getting them here for a year of service. In 2025—one cohort of 4 Response Volunteers (RPCV 6) passed the baton to another cohort of 4 Volunteers (RPCV 7), including one fresh from service in the Eastern Caribbean. The incredible impact that 4 Volunteers were able to make at any given time is awe-inspiring—not just as they worked in classrooms, but how they invested in Belizean teachers to sustainably address the early learning needs of Belizean children. One incredibly talented educator supported the work of the education sector virtually—a service model designed to fill niche areas with talent still at home in the United States.

Education sector Volunteers served in partnership with committed local counterparts. Partnerships at the District level and through the coordination of our Ministry liaison, Lianne Awe, serve as a living testament to the agency’s mission and goals—that we’d impact community level development through friendship and in pursuit of peace. In September, we added Pathlight International to our work through an agreement to place Volunteers at the NGO to support teacher training and capacity building. This is a full circle moment as the history of Pathlight International has roots in Peace Corps Volunteer service.

With more Volunteers integrating into Belizean communities, we intensified our focus on day-to-day safety. In partnership with the Belize Police Department (BPD), we enhanced our relationships with communities through Neighborhood Watch meetings and meet and greets at local schools. In support of 16 Days Against Gender-Based Violence, we partnered with the BPD, the Love Foundation, and the Office of the Special Envoy to launch the “Mek Ah Waak Sayf” street harassment campaign as we sought to build public awareness and influence cultural norms around consent and safe movement of all on Belize’s streets.

This year, we also launched our Project Advisory Committee for the YES project, allowing us to deepen our relationship with the NSC, DYS, and other key stakeholders in a spirit of shared commitment to the development of Belizean youth and to the transformative benefits of partnership.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t speak to the amazing host families that provided a home away from home for our Trainees during pre-service training and the first 6 months of service. Host families help with language acquisition, community integration, and support when being away from home gets tough. Thank you for opening your homes—those who have done it many times and those who were first time hosts—we could not do this work in Belize without you. Thank you for choosing to be a part of Belize’s growth and development.

The staff at Peace Corps Belize continues to be mission-driven and passionate. Consistent excellence is not always easy and often demands sacrifice. I am thankful for the Belize team—for showing up strong and rooted in our shared values of trust and integrity. In November, we celebrated our 3rd day of service in memory of our colleague and friend—Anthony Williams. Alongside his family, we pulled up weeds and planted flowering shrubs—continuing an office beautification project that Anthony started, but also recommitting ourselves to shared goals, shared values, and teamwork even when it is hard. 2025 is the last full year that Nurse Jackie will take care of Peace Corps Volunteers and build linkages on their behalf across the Belizean healthcare network. Jackie Waight, RN—or Nurse Jackie as she is affectionately known—has cared for the health and well-being of Volunteers in Belize for over 35 years. We will celebrate her service in 2026, but her time with us will be short by then. Upon reflection, Jackie has taught us many things, often reminding us that, if Volunteers can leave home and come to work here for two years, we can do our part.

So, we are still here doing our part, and we are grateful to be working alongside the people of Belize in peace and friendship.

Country Director Nadine Rogers, PhD, PMP®