SOZO BELIZE

WEBSITE
The mission of SOZO Belize is to free the captives and share the gospel through programs in economic development, environment, education, and anti-trafficking/violence reduction in Belize Central America. We focus on EMPOWERING MEN to protect & provide for the women and children in their lives and communities by offering native vocational training, character building programs and business training. We also offer strategic training in anti-trafficking for law enforcement & community leaders.
2007
Year of Foundation
>100k
Average Annual Budget in US dollars

1-10 employees
Sectors
Crime Prevention and Citizen Security · Environment / Natural Disasters · Education
Trainings/certificates
BID / PM4R  BID / WEBINARS  BID / PCM
Events participation
IDB Group-Civil Society Caribbean Forum
Regional Forum IDB Group - Civil Society
Regular ConSoc Meeting
MIF Forum
What have you accomplished so far and what are next steps?
Testimonials are on my website. www.sozobelize.com
How do you make sure you are doing things right?
I track all people I assist with their social security number so if they are referred to a government agency or a church and the agency or church does not help I have a record. Last year 1% of people got help when they tried on their own and 7.9% got help with an advocate.
What are the social and environmental commitments you adhere to?
All projects are environmentally friendly and embrace sustainable development. Furthermore we never do handout programs so if a child needs school fees we give the father a job.
How do the members of your organization identify?
Everyone is welcome in our programs however our target is marginalized men over age 30 with a criminal history
Additional information
As an INTJ I am interested in restructuring flawed systems through the addition of creative energy to act as a catalyst for change. False barriers, unseen hazards, and stubborn strongholds all need to be removed or repaired for a system to flow freely and work again. Systems can be governmental, religious, institutional, environmental, mechanical, structural, etc but all systems have one thing in common, they are as inherently flawed as the humans who d them. God is the only answer.
> PROJECTS

Disruptive Intervention: Law Enforcement and Mental Health

Lobbying / Human Rights · Belize Central America

This project seeks to transform infrastructure & develop disruptive strategies in law enforcement & health. As an example we developed strategy with local police and health workers to get treatment for the undertreated mentally ill because they were killing, stealing & destroying

Budget
> 50 -100k
Funding by
Private

Disruptive Strategy: Intersection of Fishing/Agriculture and Human and Drug Trafficking

Lobbying / Human Rights · Belize Central America

This project includes assisting fishers with advocacy at national level. Many are illiterate. This projects seeks to transform the lack of enforcement of illegal fishing as it relates to the intersection of human and drug trafficking.

Budget
> 50 -100k
Funding by
Private

Disruptive Strategy: Literacy and Remedial Training in Critical Thinking

Education · Belize Central America

This includes projects to develop literacy, remedial training, vocational training, high school education & access to college for key constituents located primarily in So. Belize. Teaching critical thinking & entrepreneurship is the primary focus.

Budget
> 10 - 50k
Funding by
Private

Disruptive Intervention: Drug/Alcohol Rehab Reform

Crime Prevention and Citizen Security · Belize Central America

This project seeks to strengthen and reform rehab practices here in Belize by providing training and resources for the leaders and better access for clients both in prison and out of prison.

Budget
> 10 - 50k
Funding by
Private

Disruptive Technology. Facebook Advocacy

Innovation and Technology · Belize

This project involves using Facebook to educate Belizeans about the issues that are hot through cross promotion of carefully vetted posts strategically into groups to increase reach from an average of 100 people to 100,000 people within hours.

Budget
> 10 - 50k
Funding by
private

Disruptive Technology: Missing Persons FB Page for Belize

Crime Prevention and Citizen Security · Belize Online

This is a disruptive strategy to overcome shortfalls in technology department of police here. Families contact us directly and we post missing people and share on social media. In 2019 we located over 50% of the missing individuals. It works because we are fast & respond quickly

Budget
> 10 - 50k
Funding by

Disruptive Strategy: The Lazy Lobstermen

Agriculture and Rural development · Riversdale Belize

We have ten boys in Riversdale area who do not want to go to high school and cannot afford it. They missed a lot of school, don't like school and love to fish. This project focuses on teaching them business skills so they can run a lobster fishing business in the future.

Budget
> 10 - 50k
Funding by
private

Disruptive Innovation: Offshore Orca Pod

Trade and Regional Integration · Riversdale Belize

This project involves setting up a tax free zone to allow offshore companies to set up here more easily. This an opportunity to encourage certain individuals that have a large impact on human trafficking worldwide to come to Belize in person to set up their world HQ here.

Budget
>
Funding by

Disruptive Innovation: Using the Right Bait

Crime Prevention and Citizen Security · Belize Central America

This project involves setting the bait for certain bad guys and creating conditions that are just right to encourage them to come voluntarily on their own to the fishing grounds where they can more easily be observed, engaged, and monitored by disseminating information carefully

Budget
> 10 - 50k
Funding by
private

Disruptive Innovation: What's Up on What's App

Innovation and Technology · Belize Central America and On What's App

This projects involves using What's App to disseminate TIMELY information directly to the leaders private What's App Numbers and also into news groups on What's App for things like missing people, wanted people, etc. It is used sparingly so they pay attention when we send a text.

Budget
> 10 - 50k
Funding by
private

SOZO Belize Para Ministry

Crime Prevention and Citizen Security · Southside Special Development Area Belize City. Yabra, Albert Street, George Street

We work with 3 community hubs that are initiatives of Love Foundation, Kolbe Foundation in partnership with USA Embassy to empower communities to empower themselves. We provide spiritual support and business mentorship and interventions upon request.

Budget
> >100k
Funding by
IAF and USA Embassy

Anti Human Trafficking Investigation-Cult Related

Crime Prevention and Citizen Security · Cayo District Belize

This project is in process and involves a known cult and their involvement in human trafficking and land scams as well as other scams. Due to the ongoing nature of this project we cannot share more

Budget
> 10 - 50k
Funding by
partner agencies TBD

Leadership Intervention Unit

Crime Prevention and Citizen Security · Belize City Southside Redevelopment Area and ONLINE

I have been invited as an outside advisor to the leadership intervention unit which seeks to reduce gang violence. I am working on developing national strategy and finding funding for training and gang exit

Budget
> >100k
Funding by
Hopefully IDB Lab

Gretchen Smith

Senior Strategist

+5016720547

619-780-8209

5.5 George Price Hwy / Belize City / 00000 / Belize / Belize

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