Belmopan – The U.S. Embassy is proud to announce the 2018 cohort of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Professional Fellows Program from Belize. This program will take place in September-October and will bring 250 young leaders from 36 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to the United States.
Belize’s 2018 YLAI Fellows are: Lorcia Moore, owner and creator of Naturally Belize Coconut Oil Products; Mervin Budram, Jr., founder of TAS Belize Limited; Fatima Chi, founder of L3G’s & Associates; and Kyle Zuniga, Developer, Creative Designer, and Marketer at BK Creative.
On September 17, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Keith Gilges hosted a networking event, themed “Building the YLAI Network—Creating Economic Prosperity in the Jewel,” introducing the 2018 YLAI cohort to previous participants, as well as representatives of the Government of Belize, local businesses, and non-profit organizations. Acting Prime Minister Patrick Faber delivered keynote remarks and engaged with the Fellows prior to their departure.
The five-week long YLAI Program, sponsored by U.S. Department of State, will place business and social entrepreneurs in small businesses, non-governmental organizations, and similar entities in 20 U.S. cities. The participants, hosted by U.S. organizations, will further develop their business or social venture plans, learn from their U.S. counterparts, and share best practices.
The 2018 YLAI Professional Fellows Program will begin on September 20 in Detroit, Michigan. Participants will then engage in four-week fellowships in cities throughout the country. The program will conclude with a Closing Summit in Washington, DC.
For more information on the YLAI Program, please visit https://ylai.state.gov or contact the Embassy’s Public Affairs Section at [email protected].
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