Better Brothers Initiative Launched to Foster Brotherhood Among Belizean Teens

With an effort to build brotherhood connections in Belize, teenagers from 4 different high schools will be participating in a 12-week program. The program is called the “Better Brothers Initiative” and is being made possible by the Love Foundation, The United States Embassy and Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at. The program kicked off today at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at. Managing director at Love Foundation, Deborah Erskine spoke about the initiative.

Deborah Erskine, Managing Director, The Love Foundation: “Once they graduate from this 12 week program, they move into the leadership program. And so we’re giving each of them who go through the program, once they complete, a dog tag, it’s the tag that the military people wear. And there’s a significance with that because we want them to understand that if at any point nobody’s perfect so there are times when they may regress, they may need some help. Once the program is finished, we don’t walk away. So the dog tag is a reminder that The Love Foundation and the Ahmadiyya community, because we’re partnering with the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, that is your home. Like you can always find your way back to that place where we will provide the guidance that you need. So we don’t ever want them to feel that they’re alone. That’s a big part of this program is building brothers. It’s called The Better Brothers Initiative, but building a culture of camaraderie among boys, right? And so, and for them to understand that we’re not going to leave them. That dog tag means that you always have a place.”

Students will be taught soft skills such as anger Management, conflict resolution and team building. Missionary at Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, hopes that the life skills can help the young men. 

Stephen Ata-Ulhaq Gabb, Missionary Ahmadiyah Muslim Jama’at: “So we’ll be going to different schools namely Maud Williams, Sadie Vernon, the friendship area and also the New Beginnings Youth Hostel. So we wanted to get to the most at risk youth and try to help them to better manage their anger, better manage their lives and also be a better brother for others. Whether it be for their brother, sister, mother, you know and women in general. Basically what we will be doing as the Ahmadiyah Muslim Community I am also a Belizean young man, well I used to be young, but a lot of different things life skills I learned from my own religion so it’s not basically that I’m going to be teaching them my religion but there will be certain things that I do within my life to better myself and I will be showing them without the propagation of our own religion just certain life skills that I can show them that help me to become a better person in Belize.”

Project Coordinator at new Beginnings Youth Development Center, Anne Cuvas says it is important for men and boys to be taken into consideration. 

Cuvas Palacio, Program Beginning Youth Development Center: “I am all for this Better Brother initiative especially our boys. To be honest our girls have been empowered. There are so many things each month throughout the year for girls and women but you don’t really hear anything about our men especially like for example International Men’s Day is November 19th, who remembers that right ? And so this is so important that our boys understand how the roles that they play and how much that we look at them and we pride them because sometimes you forget them and it’s so true like what Mrs.Erskine had mentioned that many times we want them to be strong but we don’t want them to be vulnerable and we need the balance and here comes the initiative that is going on today that has launched today that’s going to help our boys, especially our boys at our facility to understand that hey you have feelings, you have emotions and it’s okay to deal with it in a positive manner.”