Photo by RET

Article by Tareek Young, Communications Officer for RET Belize

BELIZE – On August 29th the RET in Belize team and eight representatives of the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Coalition met at a local outreach center for their annual strategic planning retreat for the CSO Coalition group. The Coalition’s governing body consists of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and the Secretariat (RET Belize’s current role). 

This retreat was carried out under SAFE Belize, one of RET’s current projects funded by the U.S. Department of State. Objective 3 of the project outlines the formation of a coalition group of CSOs and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that consolidates anti-human trafficking efforts in Belize. 

Those CSOs work directly or indirectly with victims or survivors of human trafficking. After a year of operation as a CSO body, the members agreed to come together as a group for a retreat to reflect on the past year’s activities, achievements, and focus on planning for the coming year.

Photo by RET

Ms. Diana Shaw, current President of the Coalition talked about the important role the CSOs play in developing policy.  

“Civil Society Organizations traditionally, even though we work with the government, we need a separate space because we are non-governmental organizations. So there are things that impact civil society organizations in how they are organized, some of the legal mechanisms that exist may have an impact on them and they need a space where they can discuss that, strategize how they are going to deal with it, but also to make recommendations to the government because what happens, we are the ones on the ground doing the everyday work of providing services to survivors, whereas sometimes the government maybe working from a more macro level approach, not necessarily a community based approach. And we bring that kind of information to the government where we are able to say, that is a good policy but for our communities to be able to function in that, this is what we need.” 

After a dinner meeting the night before, the second day started with breakfast provided by the host Kabod International, who then led the group in some ice-breaker activities that emphasized the importance of teamwork and communication in the type of work the CSOs are doing. 

To help us continue this critical work in Belize and around the world, make a donation to RET today.

Photos by RET

The warmup activities were enthusiastically received by the group, who expressed enjoyment and appreciation for the activities. Each member of this coalition group, plays a different role in the fight against human trafficking. While some function as shelters, other organizations provide support services, such as counseling, vocational or skills training, advocacy or increasing awareness. Bringing everyone together allows for a holistic approach in combating this crime. 

Mr. Hector Sabido, the Project Officer for the SAFE Belize project offered his thoughts on the importance of this kind of activity; “This work is very important.  You know that human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar industry that happens all around the world.  And it affects Belize of course.  And so, in order for us to fight against that, in order for us to ensure that we educate our population so that they know about it, we can make sure we are fighting against this very heinous problem.  Coming together is very important.  Coming together gives you a greater voice.” 

The work then began with a Coalition training workshop provided by Grace Fey, who has vast experience working in Belize with various organizations. Grace’s workshop provided tips on how the centers, can practice trauma-informed care, which can help victims process and understand their emotions and learn self-regulation techniques to aid in the healing and recovery process. Several participants shared personal stories and experiences from dealing directly with the victims and the impact of this kind of treatment. A significant point was raised that spoke of the importance of balancing the therapeutic approach and having a spiritual component to support the healing process.

Photos by RET

Ms. Shaw also expresses how she felt this portion of the retreat was received, saying, “I’m surprised by how dedicated people are even with the very little resources that we have.  I have seen organizations go above and beyond to ensure that they meet the needs of survivors. Organizations that are very willing to learn new things, there are a lot of new things that have come along in this project. When we did the SOPs, we were talking about providing comprehensive care, that was very new for a lot of people. Trauma-informed care was new for a lot of people, but so many people are willing to learn and to put those things into practice, because at the end of the day they want what is best for the survivors.” 

The second half of the day was focused on the participants getting into groups to brainstorm the goals for the next year’s plan. They were encouraged to utilize the team building and communication skill sets covered during the morning warmups. What stood out most in this exercise was the overlap of ideas from the different groups related to increasing awareness and media engagement with the general public.  

Mrs. Cherese Ferguson, Country Director for RET in Belize, made note of the importance of collaboration in these particular projects. 

“It has been enlightening. It has been a joy as well working with these partner agencies so far.  Everybody has a collaborative attitude, collaborative spirit and that has made a difference. We weren’t able to accomplish 100% of everything in our work plan this first year, however the majority I would say about 95% or 90%. We have set our meeting dates, we have set activities to be done, we do the adequate follow-up and RET as the lead, since it comes under our project, has done well in keeping everybody informed. There is some structure, and we hope that beyond the life of this SAFE Belize project, which has one more year, that this group will continue to function and work together.   

Today I am looking forward to learning more about who is at the table. I am looking forward to reflection. I know the work we have done, but just getting that feedback from everybody. I am looking forward to team building, strengthening that through the activities that are planned for today, and also drafting up a solid plan for the next year of work with this body.”   

As the retreat concluded awards of recognition were handed out to the CSOs that are a part of the coalition for all their efforts and contributions to date. Every member present reaffirmed their commitment to the work and the success of the coalition far beyond the end of the current project.

To help us continue this critical work in Belize and around the world, make a donation to RET today.