In a heartwarming community milestone set for November 12, 2026, Lauren Myvett, a self-employed nail technician and single mother of two young daughters from Georgeville in Belize’s Cayo District, has been handed the keys to a fully constructed, brand-new home after a coordinated four-day build effort. The project was made possible through a longstanding collaborative initiative between non-profit Hand in Hand Ministries and employee volunteers from Belize Bank’s San Ignacio Branch, with extra support from Myvett’s own network of family and friends.
For Myvett, who spent years navigating frequent moves and costly rental arrangements, the new property represents far more than basic shelter: it delivers a dedicated, stable space where she can run her home-based nail care business, eliminate the need for third-party childcare for her youngest daughter, and serve warm, home-cooked meals to her girls after school while remaining close enough to supervise them full time. She shared that when Hand in Hand Ministries Co-Director Shannon Stuart first called to deliver the life-changing news that she had been selected as the project’s beneficiary, she was overcome with tears of joy, so stunned she asked for formal written confirmation of the announcement to believe it was real.
This build marks the 15th successful joint housing project between Belize Bank and Hand in Hand Ministries, and the 574th free residential unit the non-profit has delivered to vulnerable Belizean families across its more than 20 years of operation. Belize Bank San Ignacio Branch Manager Ricardo Pineda explained that the home-building program is a core pillar of the institution’s corporate social responsibility framework, rooted in the belief that as a local industry leader, the bank has a fundamental duty to invest in long-term community development beyond its core financial services. He confirmed that leadership is fully committed to expanding such outreach efforts to support more underserved households nationwide in the coming years.
Stuart added that the selection process for housing beneficiaries involves rigorous needs assessment, and while the organization cannot approve every application it receives, Myvett was identified as the candidate who would gain the most transformative, life-changing stability from a permanent, safe home. Both partnering organizations have reaffirmed their commitment to extending their collaborative housing program to reach more vulnerable families across Belize, to help more low-income households put down permanent roots and unlock greater economic opportunity.