In a remarkable turn of events for Belize’s local tech ecosystem, a new Kriol-language social media platform called Yerisoh has exploded in popularity, drawing thousands of users in just 48 hours and sparking a nationwide wave of national pride that has overshadowed global giants like Facebook and TikTok.
Developed by 33-year-old self-taught local coder David Godinez, Yerisoh was built to give Belizeans a dedicated digital space to celebrate their unique identity through shared content including humor, traditional recipes, local music and everyday life moments. Godinez described the project as ‘Belize distilled’ — a small, unique corner of the internet built exclusively for the Belizean community to showcase what makes their culture distinct.
“I thought it would be cool to have our own sliver of the internet,” Godinez explained in an interview. “My Belizean people are the most beautiful people, and I just wanted to build something that lets us showcase that through music, food, all the jokes.”
The platform’s interface follows a familiar text-focused format similar to X (formerly Twitter) and Threads, with custom features that encourage users to create posts called ‘yeris’, share local cuisine recipes and discover regional music. Sign-up only takes a few simple clicks, lowering the barrier to entry for users of all technical backgrounds. In less than two full days post-launch, Yerisoh crossed the 3,000 user mark — a milestone that even caught the attention of Belize’s Prime Minister John Briceño, who has since created an account.
The momentum has also extended beyond Belize’s borders: Belizean communities living in the United States have flocked to the platform, pushing it up iOS and Android app store rankings across the country. Godinez said the outpouring of public support has been far beyond what he expected, with the developer often finding himself scrolling the app just to laugh and share content from other users.
For Godinez, the support from all corners of the community, including the Prime Minister’s participation, has been a tremendous honor. While Yerisoh is not intended to be a political platform, the developer says he hopes to open a channel for constructive dialogue between government leaders, including members of the cabinet, and ordinary Belizeans.
“Having a dialogue is so important,” Godinez noted. “Truly an honor to have the support from the highest office in the land, and I would love to be able to work with the government to keep the platform connecting people.”
Yerisoh is currently available for free download on both iOS and Android devices. Godinez is continuing to roll out updates and improvements to the platform, and has encouraged Belizeans at home and abroad to keep supporting the local project as it grows.