Quality of Life in Belize: A Possibility or An Unfeasible Dream?
Overview
This paper is the junction where anthropology meets and assesses the 'people' sustainable development goals #2 Zero Hunger, #3 Good health and well-being, and #4 Quality Education in Dangriga and Santa Elena Towns.
Assessing the 'People Goals' in Dangriga and Santa Elena, Belize
Anthropology is the study of human beings: their culture, their behavior, their beliefs, and their ways of surviving (Hirst, 2019). For the past weeks, the researchers took an applied anthropological approach as they embarked on a Rapid Ethnographic Assessment to investigate how well the “People Goals” SDG#2 Zero Hunger, SDG#3 Good Health and Well-being, and SDG#4 Quality Education were manifested in the towns of Dangriga and Santa Elena which was further compared to its sister town, San Ignacio. The objective was to assess whether access to quality education was the key to zero hunger and good health; and if proper public sensitization about ways to create a self-sustainable society would be enough to bring the collective closer to living a quality life and achieving these SDGs by 2030. The assumptions were that these goals were unachievable because the mindset of the Belizean government and its people was influenced heavily by the forces of capitalism. As a result, neglect and mediocre contributions are given to the health, education, nutrition, and food security sectors within Dangriga and Santa Elena.
The methodological approach to collect the research data included emic, etic, quantitative, and qualitative strategies. Both researchers mapped out specific areas to study in their respective hometowns (Dangriga and Santa Elena). These areas included healthcare, educational and recreational facilities within five blocks in each community. San Ignacio was also similarly mapped, studied, and compared to Dangriga and Santa Elena Towns. Photographs were taken and used to provide visual evidence of the current state of the areas studied. Lastly, each researcher conducted an ethnographic interview that lasted about 30-45 minutes with a member of their assigned community to develop further insight into the study. The interviewees were a female teacher and a middle-aged businessman who provided relevant and authentic information based on their outlook and personal experiences in their community. The data analysis revealed findings that greatly assisted in answering the research question.
The results revealed that the communities of Santa Elena and Dangriga lacked severely where the development of the ‘people goals’ was concerned. Despite the underdevelopment noticed altogether, Dangriga and San Ignacio Towns were still more developed in infrastructure, educational, healthcare, and recreational facilities than Santa Elena Town. Considering that San Ignacio and Santa Elena are ‘twin towns’ or ‘sister towns,’ it was evident that San Ignacio was the favorite child, having received far more development than Santa Elena in every way. For instance, San Ignacio and Dangriga had regional hospitals and clinics, several schools at varying levels, and well-developed and maintained sporting complexes. However, just the contrary is true for Santa Elena which only had a public clinic instead of a hospital, few schools, and poorly developed and maintained sporting facilities. Despite that, the schools in all communities were uniform, meaning they were all clean and well-kept. According to the interviewees, it was a sign of hope within the communities. Food security and healthy eating were not properly promoted or prioritized enough in the respective communities. Likewise, no significant efforts were made to sensitize the public on matters concerning their health or even encourage the use of services offered at public facilities. The researchers concluded that the under-prioritization of the 'people goals' should not be solely on the local government. Instead, the problem and the solution were identified within and among the community members, as they actively chose to accept whatever they were given rather than demand more. Each community also lacked public sensitization through public education as they progressed toward a sustainable future. Thus, the realization of the people's goals takes a collective approach. All are responsible for the change.
References
Hirst, K. K. (2019, October 23). Anthropology defined: How scholars define the study of humans. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/anthropology-defined-169493
United Nations. (n.d.). The 17 goals | sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals