Mary Open Doors!

A warm hello from Storm Leland, Jordan Walsh, and Hayley Williams over in San Ignacio, Belize. We have jumped into our work at Mary Open Doors (MOD) with much enthusiasm.  Many Open Doors is one of only two domestic violence shelters and resource centers in all of Belize. Mary Open Doors was started in 2008 when Ms. Anna Silva realized the need for a safe house that women could go to in order to escape abuse. Mary open Doors has been run by Anna, a leading example of a strong woman and community advocate ever since.

This year MOD received funding from the "International Friends of Belize" to address the needs of woman in rural communities through an awareness campaign.  The campaign we create will be presented in 32 villages around the Cayo district. The project is attempting to address two major issues, the link between HIV/AIDS and domestic violence and the lack of knowledge and access to resources available to help women seeking safe alternatives to abusive partners. Women who are subjected to domestic violence in remote villages are oftentimes unable to escape their situations because they are unaware of the resources available to help them. Our role in this project is to create a powerpoint presentation which does the following:
-defines domestic abuse
-educates women about the link between domestic violence and HIV/AIDs
-informs women about their rights under Belizean law
-discusses women’s empowerment.

We will also provide each woman with a list of relevant resources to address their needs (through a pamphlet and an emergency contact card). Finally, in order to ensure that the presentations are well attended, we are going to create flyers to promote the campaign.

We are extremely excited and passionate about the work we are doing at Mary Open Doors and the learning opportunity that has been presented itself. Updates to follow! 

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"

Peace and love, 

Storm, Jordan, and Hayley