Belize Adoption - International Child Foundation, Inc.

International Child Foundation & Belize Adoption

Sept. 25, 2008 ~ Program is closed.

Belize is now a Hague Convention member state, and we suggest that you contact Director Ava Pennil at the Belize Dept of Human Services (011) 501 227 2057 and consult the US Dept of State Intercountry Adoption information website, www.adoption.state.gov, for information and updates about adopting from Belize.

Bilize adoption Some historical background

Belize was originally populated by Mayan and other native people of the Caribbean. Archeologists estimate that as many as 1 to 2 million Mayans lived in within modern Belize’s borders. This is called the Mayan Period.

The European Period began when Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast of Central America in 1502, naming the coast the Bay of Honduras. The first European settlers were English Puritans, followed by pirates and loggers, who harvested hardwoods. The Spanish sought to expel the British, but they held fast, and logging became Belize’s principal economy.

To harvest mahogany forests, the British recruited East Indians, Chinese and convicts from Europe. These workers were eventually surpassed by another group -- Africans brought to Belize in the 1700s; part of the African Diaspora.

Over three hundred years, slavery flourished; it was a key part of a triangular trade route, run first by the Portuguese and then by the British. Between 15-20 million Africans were bound for service in the Americas. The trip across the Atlantic was called the “Middle Passage.”

In Belize, the newly arrived Africans worked in the forests instead of on plantations. It was hard, dangerous work requiring skill and judgment. After slavery was abolished in the 1830s, the freed Africans intermarried with European settlers, and became the Creole majority that dominates Belize today.

Modern-day Belize is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America. It compares with the state of Massachusetts in size. About a quarter of the people live in Belize City, which is the principal port, commercial center and former capitol.

Bilize adoption Belizeans are multiracial. About half of the population is mixed Mayan and European descent called Mestizo; a quarter are of African and Afro-European ancestry, called Creole; about ten percent are Mayan and about 6 percent are Afro-Amerindian, called Garifuna. The remainder includes European, Chinese, East Indian, Middle Eastern and North American populations.

The Colonial Period in Belize was marked by the emigration of Mexican Mayans escaping war from the north and Garifuna, Kekchi and Mopan Maya in the south, as well as by the decline of slavery and segregation. By the early 1900s, the population had grown to nearly 40,000.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the workers movement and World War II sparked widespread interest in independence. The population was largely impoverished and discontent.

In 1954, all adults were given the vote. By 1961, nearly 80% of all privately owned land, or about 40% of all land in Belize, was owned by US citizens or corporations. The rest were government lands, much of which were leased to citizens.

In 1973, the colony’s name was changed from British Honduras to Belize. In 1980, the United Nations endorsed Belize’s claim to sovereignty, and on September 21, 1981, Belize was declared independent.

After independence, public education, social welfare institutions and colleges were established. Functional literacy is 76%. School is compulsory for nine years. English is the official language, with Creole and Spanish also commonly spoken. The average per capita annual income is $3,650.

Belize has made tourism a priority and taken a leadership role in creating sanctuaries for endangered wildlife and plants, and for marine and archaeological reserves.
Bilize adoption

Nowadays Belize is characterized as a country where racial harmony and religious tolerance are manifest. The people are warm and gracious, like people through the Caribbean. Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, other Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Bahai and Rastafarian religions all contribute to Belize’s spiritual identity.

English is the official language. Creole and Spanish are also commonly spoken. The Garifuna, Mayas and Mennonites each speak their own language, as well. For more information about Belize, Google “Belize History” or “Belize Culture” on the internet.

Adoption in Belize

Adoption from Belize is governed by the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.

Note: All adoptions are subject to change, including estimates for waiting times, fees, travel costs and program availability. Please contact us for updates.