Chaa Creek Receives Honorable Mention from Pioneers of Prosperity Program

Cayo District, Belize, July 30, 2009 – The Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank in conjunction with the John Templeton Foundation, and the Social Equity Venture Fund through their Pioneers in Prosperity Program has awarded Honorable Mentions to The Lodge at Chaa Creek. The Pioneers in Prosperity Program is an international project that seeks to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs in emerging economies by identifying, rewarding, and promoting outstanding businesses who serve as role models within their communities.

Nearly 600 firms applied for the Caribbean awards, which closed on March 23, 2009. The competition was open to all private sector Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) based in participating countries (Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago) that have between 5 and 250 employees, and annual revenues of $100,000 USD and $5,000,000 USD.

The Lodge at Chaa Creek will receive a grant of US$10,000 which will be used to expand their employee educational scholarship program. The program currently supports four employees attending Sixth Form and four children of employees who attend Fourth Form. The award will also be used to assist with funding advanced local and international technical skills training for their Naturalist Guides.

The award-winning Lodge at Chaa Creek, which is set within a 365 acre private nature reserve along the banks of the beautiful Macal River, employs over 125 Belizeans, supplies student grants, and extends on-the-job training opportunities to many Belizean students each year. Environmental education and natural resource conservation make up a cornerstone of Chaa Creek?s corporate mission. Each year hundreds of Belizean school children and university students visit The Chaa Creek Natural History Centre and Nature Reserve where they receive professional interpretation of Belize?s magnificent natural environment and cultural history and experience first hand the many wonders of our tropical forests. Chaa Creek is proud to support the education of our youth and will continue to push forward in the sustainable development of the tourism industry within our home, Belize.

For more information please contact:
The Lodge at Chaa Creek
P.O. Box 53
San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize
Tel: +501-824-2037
Fax: +501-824-2501
Email: [email protected]

Web: www.chaacreek.com Pioneers of Prosperity Award
Abby Noble
OTF Group
Tel: 1 617-209-7508
Email: [email protected]
Web : www.pioneersofprosperity.org