Photo: Cohort 5 and 6 raising certificates
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Tues. Sept. 5, 2023
This week, the Belize City Council Accelerator Program (BCAP) opened its doors to its 5th and 6th cohorts of entrepreneurs during a certification & distribution Ceremony held at the Belize City Council offices.
The program is a strategic collaboration between the Belize City Council and international partners such as the Embassy of Taiwan and Axiory Global Limited, as well as BELTRAIDE, and other local organizations and enterprises.
The BCAP serves as a comprehensive platform designed to empower participants with the tools and knowledge to launch and operate entrepreneurial initiatives.
Through intensive entrepreneurship training, technical guidance, and financial support, participants are ushered into an ecosystem that nurtures micro-small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Mayor Bernard Wagner expressed his pride and enthusiasm about the program’s remarkable progress. “Being able to have facilitated from 2020 to 2023 four cohorts, and today, cohorts five and six, we have been able to really assist 116 individual entrepreneurs; and out of that 116, I can say that probably 84% are still functioning and operating profitably, that even a couple of them have been able to hire additional help for their business,” he said.
During this morning’s ceremony, more than ten budding entrepreneurs were handed their program certificates and startup contributions. These were presented by Mayor Bernard Wagner and Councillor Edmund Kwan, who holds the portfolio of local economic development and small businesses.
“This transformative experience has not only enriched my knowledge but also equipped me with tools needed to empower my small business ‘Belize Loc Nation.’ Now I look ahead, I am inspired and committed to implementing these lessons with ‘Belize Loc Nation.’ My vision is clear. I am excited about the positive impact these teachings will bring to me and my business,” shared Deserie Arzu, owner of Belize Loc Nation and part of cohort 5.
“I was fortunate to be a part of this year’s BCAP cohort and receive a grant allocation. As a child, I have always had a strong desire to become an entrepreneur and run my own business. This program has allowed us a safe place to network, receive training, be innovative, and learn from each other’s experiences, and for that, I am truly grateful,” also shared Ashley Young-Balderamos, owner of Urban Eats and part of cohort 6.
BCAP’s support doesn’t conclude at the end of the ceremony, however. Each business owner is assured of sustained assistance, including continuous training facilitated by BELTRAIDE. And depending on their business domain, participants are furnished with the necessary equipment to jumpstart their ventures.
“Some of them who are in the food business would probably get a stove, they would get refrigerators, freezers; in the barbering business they would get barbering equipment, and that sort of thing,” elaborated Mayor Wagner.
The mayor emphasized that programs like these align with the Belize City Council’s push toward entrepreneurship. He pointed out that traditionally, the focus among city residents has been on seeking employment, but the council’s vision is to encourage individuals to become job creators instead of just job seekers.