Village Waste

Welcome to Succotz Village! We partnered with Succotz last year with HELP INTERNATIONAL and this year we are back! We love the people here! They are so real, so humble.

Our first project with the Village was to help them make dog-proof garbage cans. Dogs wander the dirt roads of the village and get into the garbage, making an unsanitary mess all over the village. The Village had an idea of raising the garbage cans so dogs can't get in them. We helped their vision become a reality!

Kim drills holes in the sides of the garbage cans.

Posing with some of the garbage cans that will be all around the village.

Shelby puts some muscle into it as she saws the posts!

Kyle mixes cement to put in the holes for the posts.

Taking a breather by the Belmopan river!

Matt takes garbage cans around the Village.

Kim walks to a can location with some of the villagers. I learned this summer that when doing International work, it's critical to work with the locals. Only if we talk with them and get to know their culture can we then do meaningful projects - ones that will last for years and that they actually want to have in their country!

If we go in with our own ideas and projects, they often fail because it's not really what the locals need and want!



Mixing the concrete.

The cement is ready to pour!

Kyle fixes this can onto it's post with Mr. Chan.

Matt and Kaylin pose with the final product!

This is it! If you're wondering about the Villagers not smiling for pictures, that's a cultural thing. They think they look goofy if you smile for a picture! These villagers are actually very happy people, constantly smiling and happy with life. I learned so much from them - so much about happiness and satisfaction in life!

Our garbage-can power is unstoppable!

Kyle puts on our HELP sticker! We were here!

Thanks for letting us work with you, Succotz! We love you!!

Cooling off with bags of water after the hard work! Fun, huh!

Have you ever drunk bagged water? It's pretty common here in Belize! You can also buy bottled water, but you can pick up bagged water for half the cost of a bottle!