The Scotia Bank is distributing 85 grants of $300.00 dollars to needy children throughout Belize. It's an initiative that began 5 years ago where winners are chosen based on their report card, recommendations, references, and character. Today, we were there as 17 primary school students from the Belize district received their grants.
Edwin Otero, Grand Recipient - St. Luke Methodist School
"Well the school gave us an application for us to fill in and then they gave us a paragraph to write of 200 words and then that's how I pass the application from and then they call me and told me that I have got it and I am very thankful for Scotia Bank that they gave me this application."
Emaun Hyde
"What all did you write in your paragraph?"
Edwin Otero
"Well I write about my economical situation and a lot about how I live."
Emaun Hyde
"What would you like to say about Scotia Bank?"
Travis Zuniga, Grand Recipient - St. Luke Methodist School
"I would say to Scotia Bank keep on doing what they do because people really need this right now. Especially poor people."
Emaun Hyde
"Can you tell me how this is going to make a difference for you and your family?"
Yvonne Ellis, Guardian
"It's going to make a great difference for me and my family because of the hard time that we are going through and financial situation most of the time and I am the sole provider for my grand children so I know it will be a very great help for me."
Emaun Hyde
"Are you grateful and what would you like to say to the Scotia Bank employees that made this all possible for you and your family."
Yvonne Ellis
"Well I want to give them the glory through Christ for being so grateful for helping a lot of us with our kids and to see the hard times that we are really going through and I know it will make a great difference with a lot of parents because of the crisis that we are going through."
Emaun Hyde
"Why did Scotia Bank see it as necessary to give back to the community in such a huge way?"
Karen Lewis, Branch Manager - Coordinator
"Scotia Bank is always looking at ways to try to be community conscious and be able to give back. A couple years ago before the program started we did a survey and we notice similar to the Ministry of Education that there was a lot going on with primary school students and their ability to afford to go school and we did a survey whereby we look at all the schools and did an average what it is for a primary school to go into classes for a particular year."
The remaining 78 grants will be given out over the next two weeks.....
