The Government of Belize, through the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE), opened its fourth Digital Connect Center in Bella Vista, Toledo. This initiative was undertaken through the USD$360,000.00 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded Building Resilient MSME’s Accelerating Digitization Project and sited, within the HUMANA People to People Belize Migrant Hub in Bella Vista.

The Digital Connect Centers offer free access to computers, learning opportunities, support to access government services and is a part of a national commitment from key collaborators to promote digital inclusion and bridging the digital divide, primarily in rural areas in need of technological services. The Bella Vista center is equipped with 4 desktops and stable internet connection which will serve the community and surrounding areas through training in entrepreneurial development, business innovation and competitiveness for Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME); and it will also provide access to digital literacy trainings to upskill youths, women, the unemployed, and the elderly.
 

The Digital Connect Centers will connect entrepreneurs to BELTRAIDE's Virtual Knowledge Center (VKC) platform which provides access to training materials for enterprise growth and innovation, the MSME Directory, a Job Portal, and access to other support services and catalogues designed to propel business development. The launch represents an investment of USD15,000 from the UNDP with contributions from BELTRAIDE and Humana People to People Belize.
 

In attendance was Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Valentino Shal, Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Local Government & Labour, Susanne Jensen, Country Director of Human People to People Belize, Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Executive Director of BELTRAIDE and Mr. Ian King, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative.