You've probably heard of the phenomenon of the Youtube influencer, popular figures in the platform who can tell their followers what makeup to wear, what type of tech to buy, and even what new lifestyle trend they should be following.
Still, even in this brave new world of unlimited influence, it still seems implausible that a youtuber could change the social and financial fabric of a society.
But that's just what one aspiring Youtuber says he's going to do. Moses Sulph a known community activist in Belize called the media together this morning to introduce us to one family in need.
And that's how our team headed to the area known as Gungulung to find a pair of rundown structures and a family very much in need.
This is the dwelling in which Luciano Reyes and his family have lived for the past 20 years. A pair of destitute, dilapidated structures with an adjacent bathroom that makes day to day living impossible for his aging mother to navigate on her own.
Luciano Reyes, Living in poor conditions
"My mom is blind and sometimes she gets fits; we don't have a proper bathroom. The step is all messed up, so I really need help."
Cherisse Halsall:
"How did you come to be living in this situation?"
Luciano Reyes, Living in poor conditions
"Well, right now we don't come from rich people, we come from poor people we have it poor, when we got here it was a lot of swamp and so we come on London bridge, we don't live there anymore, because they took over the spot where we were."
Reporter:
"You're the only one who's taking care of your mom?"
Luciano Reyes, Living in poor conditions
"No, we have a lot more of us, we have my sisters too. We have my sister's, my brothers, my nephew, and my son."
Reporter:
"So like 10 people?"
Luciano Reyes, Living in poor conditions
"Yes."
Reyes says that the 10 member family unit has had to improvise, often finding ways to squinch into the two small structures.
Community Activist Moses Sulph finds the living conditions deplorable and he's come up with a plan to change the family's circumstances, and maybe uplift himself a bit too.
Moses Sulph, Community Activist/ Aspiring Youtuber
"I'm calling on each and every Belizean in an attempt to try and eliminate these sorts of condition. Kindly go to Youtube, subscribe to the channel "Better Living: Belize to the World", like the video, view it and subscribe and share, in an effort to eliminate these sorts of living."
"We're hoping that because of the condition we see many of our people facing over the years, we know that the finance is not there totally of the country. So we're using this avenue to try and eliminate conditions like these, especially for the blind lady that is here. I would want us to try and see how the community could come together and eliminate the bathroom and build a new bathroom. But as I've said before, the effort is that I am not going to any longer depend on the government and the business sector totally. I'm asking Belizeans to subscribe, like, view and share and from the proceeds we get from Youtube we will directly build houses for people who are in these conditions and eliminate it ourselves. We're going to change the world one house at a time."
But what does Reyes think of Sulph's youtube scheme for poverty alleviation?
Cherisse Halsall:
"What was your opinion about this Youtube thing? When Moses Sulph came to you with this proposition, how does it sound to you?"
Luciano Reyes, Living in poor conditions
"It sounds like I can try my luck, you know, I believe in luck and I pray and I believe. I believe something out there can help us, you know. I have faith so I know something will happen. I just believe in it, you know."
Reyes and his family are hoping that Sulph can raise enough to tear down this structure and build a new one. If you'd like to render any assistance you can contact the family at 662-2509.
