As a Belizean nonprofit organization dedicated to unlocking the potential of young people across the country, Pathlight Belize celebrated a key milestone this week: during its annual awards ceremony, the group awarded full academic scholarships to 17 outstanding students set to enter their first year of secondary school this coming August. The ceremony also highlighted the organization’s nearly 20-year legacy of investing in the next generation of Belizean leaders, dating back to its founding in 2008.
Unlike many traditional scholarship programs that only provide financial aid, Pathlight Belize stands out for its holistic, wrap-around support model that integrates academic assistance, mentorship, and spiritual development for all recipients. Program Manager Christina Escalante explained in an interview with local outlet News 5 that the organization prioritizes building deep, long-term connections with each student, supporting not just their academic progress but also their personal and spiritual growth.
Today, Pathlight Belize operates after-school support centers across three major regions of the country: Belize City, Orange Walk, and the capital city of Belmopan. The organization’s footprint has grown steadily over 18 years: at its Belize City center alone, it provides daily after-school programming to approximately 58 secondary students, while also supporting 32 tertiary-level students pursuing higher education degrees across the country.
For Escalante and the entire Pathlight team, the work goes far beyond helping individual students access education. The organization’s core long-term mission is to cultivate a new cohort of ethical, capable leaders who will go on to hold key positions across every sector of Belizean society. “My hope is for them to be the best version of themselves, for them to embrace the opportunities that they get and to see those dreams come to fulfilment,” Escalante shared.
Among this year’s group of scholarship recipients is 12-year-old Kareem Gabourel from Belmopan, who will enroll at Edward P. York High School when the new academic year begins in August. Gabourel says the scholarship has lifted a heavy financial strain off his family, bringing him one critical step closer to his lifelong dream of working as a pediatrician.
Twelve-year-old Christy Engleton, another recipient who will attend St Catherine’s Academy this fall, shared similar excitement. Engleton, who hopes to study science and eventually build a career as a dentist, called the award life-changing. “I’m very excited because this could really help me a lot. I get help from my new mentors. I get to make new friends,” she said.
As Pathlight Belize approaches its 20th anniversary in 2028, the organization continues to expand its reach, working to ensure that more low-income and high-potential young Belizeans get the support they need to turn their academic and career goals into reality.