Three Stann Creek communities sign on to PROSPER Partnership

Hopkins Village, Stann Creek District, Belize (ILO News) – On 25 May 2026, the Government of Belize, the European Union and the International Labour Organization (ILO) signed partnership agreements with Hopkins Village, Seine Bight Village and Maya Centre Village, the first three of 15 partner communities to formalize their commitment to the EU-funded ILO PROSPER project. The ceremony, held at the Hopkins Community in the Stann Creek District, marks the project's transition from analytical and consultative groundwork to community-level implementation.

The agreements were signed in the presence of the Hon. Oscar Requena, Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Development and Local Government, and the Ministry's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Valentino Shal; the Hon. Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and New Growth Industries; Mr. Aniceto Rodriguez Ruiz, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union to Jamaica, Belize and The Bahamas; Mr. Xavier Canton Lamousse, Head of Office and EU Team Leader in Belize; and Mr. John Bliek, Sustainable Enterprise and Job Creation Specialist, ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean. The formal signing of partners was facilitated by Ms. Kylah Ciego, Acting National Project Coordinator for the PROSPER Project at the ILO.

The three signing communities were identified through a community readiness scorecard developed under the project's value chain analysis, which evaluated each community's assets, businesses, cooperatives and engagement in the priority value chains. Hopkins Village and Seine Bight Village, both Garifuna coastal communities, piloted the Participatory Appraisal of Competitive Advantage (PACA) methodology in December 2025, engaging more than 100 residents in identifying locally-owned development priorities. Maya Centre Village, a Mopan Maya community, brings a complementary cultural tourism and agroforestry profile to the first cohort.

The remaining 12 partner communities, located in the Toledo District, are currently in consent discussions with the project team. For the Maya communities concerned, this process is being conducted in line with the Maya Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) protocol, in coordination with the Office of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, and is expected to bring the remaining communities into the project over the coming months.

Welcoming the signing as a concrete step in the Government's local economic development agenda, Minister Requena noted, “the PROSPER project is in sync with the National Rural Development Strategy and this project charts the way for communities to define their development with the support of government and international partners”.

Mr. Shal framed the signing as the moment communities take ownership of the project's direction. "It is the community members themselves who are going to think about their own reality, their own life, their own dreams, their own hopes and aspirations, and put them on paper, and then we will support that dream," he said.

Mr. Rodriguez Ruiz underscored the EU's commitment to inclusive economic development, with a particular focus on women and youth. "PROSPER is not just about creating jobs. It is about breaking down barriers, providing training, and ensuring that women and youth have the tools they need to thrive," he said. "Our target of 50 per cent female participation in training activities is not just a number. It is a promise to the women of South Belize that their voices matter and their potential is boundless." He concluded that "PROSPER is not just an initiative. It is a partnership," bringing together the European Union, the International Labour Organization, the Government of Belize and, most importantly, the communities of southern Belize.

Mr. Bliek situated the partnership within the broader local economic development approach. "Local economic development means participation of all," he said. "It means participation of business, of local authorities and village councils, of women's groups, of NGOs. All these entities need to come together to assess the economic reality."

The ceremony also recognized the technical and vocational education institutions that will partner with PROSPER in this first phase: Georgetown Technical High School, Julian Cho Technical High School, Corazon Technical High School and ITVET Toledo. These institutions will pilot or strengthen cacao cultivation within their curricula and will receive training support and equipment to enhance teaching and learning across value chain-oriented subjects, in line with the project's TVET and skills situational assessment completed in 2025.

Minister Ferguson welcomed the ILO's community-centred approach and called for stronger cooperation on the ground. "I like the approach the ILO is taking, bringing communities together," he said. "One thing is lacking, cooperation amongst the people." He signalled Government interest in strengthening cooperative structures to help producers in the cacao and tourism value chains access financing more readily.

In her closing remarks delivered on behalf of the three signing communities Ms. Ella Carr, Chairperson of the Hopkins Village Council said, "We are especially encouraged by the project focused on inclusion, empowering women, engaging our youth, supporting entrepreneurs, strengthening tourism, and creating opportunities for sustainable livelihoods. These are the kind of investments that help communities grow while preserving our culture, environment and identity."

About PROSPER
Participation, Ownership and Sustainable Progress for Economic Resilience (PROSPER) is a four-year initiative (November 2024 to November 2028) funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Labour Organization in partnership with the Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development and Local Government. The project supports community-led local economic development in 15 Maya and Garifuna communities in the Toledo and Stann Creek districts of southern Belize, focusing on the sustainable tourism and cacao agroforestry value chains. PROSPER works through Local Action Groups using the LEADER approach, combining community planning, skills development, enterprise support and institutional strengthening to translate evidence into decent work opportunities, particularly for women and youth.

Media contact
Resel Melville [email protected]
Communication and Information Management Officer
ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean
Tel: +1 868 625-0524, +1 868 623-7704