The YWCA Belize exists from 1959 and is affiliated to the World YWCA, whose common purpose is to develop the leadership and collective power of women and girls around the world to achieve human rights, health, security, dignity, freedom, justice, and peace for all people.

In Belize, the YWCA Organization is registered both as an NGO and as a company, as their services are varied and intersected.

Their programmes and activities include:

• Helping Early Leavers Program (HELP) – HELP is a two-year skills-training program for young women 13 -18 years old, where the beneficiaries are receiving training in Hospitality, Sewing, Cosmetology and Office Assistant Programs, as well as developing entrepreneurship skills, boost their self-confidence and independency.
• Skills-training for Adults – This program offers Cake Decorating, Food Preparation & Preservation, Sewing, and Cosmetology, in the evenings, as well as Computer and English as a second language courses.
• Seniors Program: Women of 60 years old and over, gather at the YWCA on a weekly basis, to engage in activities that are fun, educational, and inspirational.
• Day-care Centre and Pre-School: preparing children ages 3-5 years to enter the primary school system, as well as offering a safe and creative environment to learn and develop.
• Swim Program: YWCA offers private lessons, lifeguard and swimming instructor training, Water safety sessions, as well as opens to pool to the general public for recreational swimming.
• EU funded project “Addressing Human Rights for More Equitable Development”: providing human rights awareness to women and youth and provides skills training.

Their programmes are funded from a variety of sources, including international grants, Government subsidies, fundraising activities and affordable fees from participants and parents, as their beneficiaries are mainly coming from challenging low-income environments. YWCA impacts around 2000 beneficiaries yearly.

For more information, please visit their website.