SMART Donates Home to Belize City resident

A mother of two from Belize City is the owner of a new home thanks to Smart Belize and Hand in Hand Ministries. This morning, the organizations handed over the two-bedroom home valued at 15 thousand dollars to 24-year-old Francisca Howard. The initiative is part of Smart’s 18th-anniversary celebrations. Howard’s home was destroyed by Hurricane Lisa, and she was forced to move in with relatives. Adele Sabido, Smart’s Communications Supervisor, says that the home will provide Howard with a comfortable space of her own. 

Adelaide Sabido, Smart’s Communications Supervisor: “Yeah it’s been in the works for some time. I believe in 2019 we wanted to do it and that was the start of COVID and you know everywhere a lot of projects went on halt and so coming out of the COVID period I campaigned again for it and our team at SMART decided okay yes it’s time and so I contacted Hand in Hand, we have a relationship with Hand in Hand Ministries already, we’ve been a part of their HIV program, doing little projects with the preschool that they have and through our services of course. So this is our first house that we are building with them it’s a 16X20 feet home and I think the total cost of it is a little over $15,000 Belize dollars and so it took us a little while to get that in the works but right after Hurricane Lisa we said you know we can’t halt on this project anymore and we told Ms.Maggie let’s go full fledge in and we will hand over the house as part of our anniversary celebration this year. On March 29th we are celebrating our 18th anniversary and so not only is it handing over a house and I think I said this in the last interview this program is so unique because it allows for the recipient to build their character and develop their life skills and so Ms.Francisca has participated in a building project for another Hand in Hand recipient as well as I think attended two out of ten Saturday sessions it’s the first Saturday of every month where she attends sessions with Hand in Hand and these sessions are geared toward life skills development, financial literacy, hygiene skills, cooking skills whatever it may entail and in so doing the program you know is allocating for our citizens to help to be more  responsive to others in their community as well as to their families.”

Francisca Howard, the recipient of the home, says her four-year-old daughter was most excited to view the home and shared how she learned about the project. 

Francisca Howard, Home Recipient: “I was scrolling and I saw the advertisement from SMART and well we were already in a situation whereby Lisa did her damages and throughout the process I decided to go through the application, Ms.Rashida, Ms.Sabido, Ms.Shannon and their team they came, did their assessment and after the assessment they came back to let us know that we were chosen – well we got accepted into the program to receive the house. I was currently residing inside, well after we relocated I was residing inside their old three some times five you could say. I must say well it’s a huge help because where we were you know they needed their space, I need mine so we decided to just go through the process and here we are.”

Reporter: You said your four year old is super excited ?

Francisca Howard, Home Recipient: “Oh yes she is super excited I can’t stress how much she is.“