Belize Enterprise Empowerment Project Equips Entrepreneurs for Business Growth

Starting a business is one thing. Keeping it going and finding ways to grow can be an even bigger challenge. That’s what the Belize Enterprise Empowerment Project set out to address. Over the course of the programme, entrepreneurs from across the country took part in training sessions focused on business planning, financial management, marketing and other practical skills aimed at helping them build stronger businesses. Today, those participants came together for the project’s closing ceremony, where they reflected on what they had learned and celebrated completing the programme. Ishmael Quiroz, Executive Director of BELTRAIDE, says the project is about giving small business owners the tools they need to succeed long after the training has ended.

BELTRAIDE says small and medium-sized enterprises continue to play an important role in Belize’s economy, creating jobs and supporting communities throughout the country. By investing in entrepreneurs, the organisation hopes to see more local businesses expand, become more competitive and contribute to economic growth. For many of the participants, the programme offered more than classroom sessions. It also created opportunities to meet other entrepreneurs, share experiences and learn from people facing many of the same challenges. One participant says the experience has changed the way they approach their business and has given them the confidence to put new ideas into practice. a participant in the Belize Enterprise Empowerment Project, Kenrick Logan shared the knowledge gained throughout the programme will continue to benefit their business well beyond today’s closing ceremony.

Although the programme has come to an end, organisers say they hope the relationships built during the training will continue, with participants supporting one another as they put their new skills into practice and continue growing their businesses.