Belize is known for its beautiful wood. There are many rare woods in the forest. The Belizeans are true craftsmen, with much of the work done by hand.

In the prison, there is now a wood working shop. Prisoners who can be released in the next two years are given an opportunity to learn a trade by working in the shop. When they are released, they have a marketable skill. But, there are very few places who will hire them because of the stigma of having been in prison.

We would like to set up half way houses where these men could go to work in a commercial woodworking shop. We would like to set them up in their own businesses. They can do as well as anyone, and with the right equipment, can become productive citizens. These shops would be set up around the country, in small villages, and often away from there the men originally got into trouble. This can give them a new start in life.

 With the tourism business booming, with an expectation of over 1 million tourists coming in 2006, there is a huge market for wood carvings, and wood products. With the men becoming skillful, they can even manufacture wood products that can be exported. This will demand that they produce world class work. But they can. They are artistic by nature, and God has provided beautiful wood for them to have access to.

So, by planting small independent wood shops around the country, a revived industry can be had.

A shop can costs from $4,000 to $25,000. The plan is for them to start with small basic equipment. Let's see what they can do. The originality of each piece adds tremendous value.

We will work towards having a shop in the Tourism Village where products can be sold. We will also work towards an Internet Store where Belizean products can be sold.