Toledo Communities Advance Next Phase of PROSPER

Twelve communities from Toledo District have taken a decisive step towards shaping their own local economic development priorities, agreeing to partner with the Government of Belize and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to move into the next phase of the European Union-funded PROSPER Project. PROSPER - Participation, Ownership and Sustainable Progress for Economic Resilience is a four-year project implemented by the ILO and carried out in partnership with the Government of Belize through the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development and Local Government.

At a ceremony in Punta Gorda on Thursday 24 September, village alcaldes and chairpersons signed Letters of Intent with the Government and the ILO, setting out their shared intention to work together as communities establish Local Action Groups, develop local economic development plans and move towards practical support for skills, enterprises, markets and livelihoods.

The signing was witnessed by senior government, ILO, EU and United Nations representatives, including Oscar Requena, Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Development and Local Government; Osmond Martinez, Minister of Economic Transformation; Thomas Kring, Deputy Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean; Elizabeth Mary Lanzi Mazzocchini, Head of Office, European Union Technical Support Office to Belize; and Raul Salazar, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Belize, underscoring the broad partnership supporting PROSPER's next phase.

The 12 Toledo communities that participated in the signing are Medina Bank, Golden Stream, San Miguel, San Pedro Columbia, San Antonio, Blue Creek, Aguacate, Santa Cruz, Pueblo Viejo, San Jose, Na-Luum Ca and Laguna Village. This formally marks their entry into the implementation phase following months of engagement and consultation.

The commitments bring the Toledo communities together with 3 additional communities from the Stann Creek District (Maya Centre, Seine Bight and Hopkins) which formalized their participation in May. For the 15 communities involved, the Letters of Intent are statements of good-faith collaboration rather than legally binding agreements and recognize local residents' ownership and direction in the process by setting out roles for communities, Government and the ILO in carrying the work forward.

In her remarks on behalf of the signing communities, Ms. Rosa Mis, Community Leader, Laguna said, "We chose to participate and to collaborate on practical avenues for our people. Development should not simply happen around a community, but must actively include our men, women and youths."

Following the signing ceremony, representatives of the participating communities joined an Information Session for Local Action Groups, that delved into the detailed next steps for the project's implementation. As a central mechanism, the Local Action Group in each community will identify local priorities, assets, constraints and economic opportunities and use these to develop their own local economic development plans.

This approach is guided by the understanding that economic development is more likely to have lasting results when the people have a meaningful role in deciding what development should look like and how it should be pursued.

For us at the Ministry of Rural Transformation, we want to see our people engaged in Decent Work and taking the lead in their own development. When we reviewed the goals and objectives of PROSPER, we were satisfied to see that it is fully aligned to our national rural development strategy. To the leaders here today, you play a very important role in leading this process. The project is working along with you, as you have identified local action groups and developed local economic development plans. We want to transform those plans into actions. Hon. Oscar Requena, Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Development and Local Government

PROSPER is also seeking to connect local economic development with tangible opportunities for decent work, particularly for women and young people.

Community planning is not an end in itself. It is the starting point for turning local priorities into skills and resilient livelihoods, stronger enterprises, better access to markets and ultimately, decent work. Through PROSPER, the ILO is working with communities and partners here in Toledo District to help translate those plans into tangible opportunities, particularly for women and young people. Thomas Kring, Deputy Director, ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean.

European Union has been a partner of Belize for over 30 years. Our partnership is for a prosperous Belize where all people are respected, empowered and have an equal chance to develop themselves and live a life in dignity, with opportunities and individual freedoms. We support the PROSPER initiative because it reflects our shared belief that sustainable development must be inclusive, locally rooted, and designed to improve lives in practical ways. In the coming months, as the real work rolls out on the ground in the communities, special attention will be given to creating opportunities for women and young people. Elizabeth Mary Lanzi Mazzocchini, Head of Office, European Union Technical Support Office to Belize

The commitments made on Thursday reflect different but complementary responsibilities. The ILO will provide technical guidance, project support and coordination while working respectfully with community structures and practices. The Government for its part will lead in creating the enabling environment for implementation through policy and programmes, and connecting the work with relevant ministries, departments and national development priorities. Community leaders, in turn, commit to encourage participation, strengthen communication and help ensure transparency, accountability and local ownership.

In addition to the local economic development plan that PROSPER will support communities to develop, community members will benefit directly from technical and entrepreneurial training, business development support and mentorship, stronger market linkages, improved access to financial services and strengthened work-based learning through local training institutions.

For all of the parties involved, the significance lies not simply in signing a document, but in what comes next. The measure of the partnership will be proven in whether community priorities can be translated into viable plans, stronger local capacity and economic opportunities that improve the working lives of the people across Southern Belize.