Belize Community Conservation and Caribbean S.E.A have collaborated to once again do a week long day camp from August 19th-23rd at the Boca del Rio Park. The program, “Kids 4 Clean Water” focuses on both hygiene and environmental conservation mainly affecting the San Mateo Area. This year, about 25 kids are involved with the program which is dedicated to teaching them proper hygiene methods and how good hygiene goes hand in hand with the preservation of the various ecosystems around us.
The kids also learned about creative alternatives to making basic hygiene readily available, such as the “tippy taps.” The tippy taps can be described as mobile faucets, though they are easy to make (consisting only of a plastic bottle filled with water, a couple pieces of string and a bar of soap) and may seem simple. The tippy tap provides the two main factors we need for clean hands- soap and water.
The kids are enjoying every minute of the program which has turned out to be way more than just playing a few games and running around. The kids are also exploring the world of science as they examine the different ecosystems around them, taking surface and cistern water samples from different water bodies and observing the different levels of bacteria and micro organisms in each. This diverse one week summer program also offered the kids an opportunity to get to know a bit more about crocodiles, ecological sanitation, coral reef conservation, and mangrove conservation. They enjoyed a croc eye-shine tour with The ACES and a snorkeling trip with Ecologic Divers.
Program coordinators, Mary Beth Sutton, Caleb Powell (Caribbean S.E.A) and Kathy Power (Belize Community Conservation) would like to all volunteers, supporters and sponsors that helped in making this year’s program a success. Sponsors include: The American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES), Ecologic Divers, Exotic Caye, Pawn Smart, Living Faith Church, The Tides, Full Basket Belize, Pedro’s Pizza, Bowen and Bowen and Cowboy Doug’s, Taco Girl and Anne Kufner.
