BELIZE CITY, Mon. Feb. 2, 2015–Making its mark on the local sporting landscape in a few weeks’ time will be a new Belizean football organization, BelCare Football Youth Academy (BelCare), which has Grassroots Football Festivals scheduled in two districts – Cayo and Stann Creek, on the weekend of February 21-22.

On Saturday, February 21, BelCare will host its 2015 Festival in San Ignacio, Cayo, with Adventures Football Club; and on Sunday, February 22, it will host the 2015 Festival in Dangriga, Stann Creek, with Umadagu Football Club. At the festivals, footballs and other football equipment, secured through BelCare’s various international donors, will be distributed to youth clubs and teams in the two districts; and there are plans to expand the program to all other districts in the future.

Football Festivals in San Ignacio – February 21 and in Dangriga – February 22

A registered N.G.O. in Belize, BelCare is the brainchild of U.S. based Belizean Michael N. Lindo, who grew impatient with the repeated struggles of the Belize National Football Team on the international scene, and decided to bypass local party politics and football bureaucracy and attack the problem at its source – the children. Teaming up with a few other like-minded Belizeans at home and abroad, Michael has been the driving force behind and chief architect of this non-profit organization, soon to manifest its presence in Belize, “that uses the power of football (soccer) to educate, inspire, and empower young people to lead meaningful lives.”

More on BelCare in our next issue.