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Community Involvement

Our Commitment to the Community

Belize Community

Ian Anderson has spent the last 15 years as an active member of the tourism industry in Belize. In addition to building a number of successful businesses in Belize, Ian has continuously worked to give back to his adopted home, Belize. Ian and his wife Ella, along with Caves Branch, has supported, founded, sponsored, and coordinated multiple efforts to create positive experiences and opportunities for Belizean Youth as well as provide emergency aid for Belizeans and tourists alike.

Belize community involvement
Local Community Projects
Caves Branch is honored to have been able to support and sponsor many projects, families, and organizations over the years by providing funding, complimentary stays, and tours, education, raffle prizes, workshops. 
Belize community involvement
Belize National Youth Chess Foundation (founder)
In 2007 Ian & Ella Anderson developed the “Belize National Youth Chess Foundation”: a nation wide not-for-profit organization utilizing Chess as an educational and motivational tool for disenfranchised youths. Chess instruction helps youths develop critical & logical thinking, memory development, ability to analyze actions & consequences, pattern recognition, creativity, communication abilities, planning ahead, setting up short/long term goals & intellectual maturity.
Belize community involvement
Tek Time fi Read Literacy Project (sponsor)
The “Tek Time fi Read” (Take time to read) Project was created by and is run by a group of Belizean youth with the goal of encouraging a love for reading in Belize by making free and affordable books available to children & teens. The project hosts big fun book festivals and events to make reading fun and has distributed over 12,000 countrywide. Caves Branch has been the primary financial sponsor of the group and also helps by encouraging guests to bring new and used children's books.
Learn more about Tek Time fi Read and how YOU CAN HELP
Belize community involvement
Pack for a Purpose (contributor)
We are proud members of Pack for a Purpose, an initiative that allows travelers like you to make a lasting impact in the community at your travel destination. If you save just a few kilos of space in your suitcase and bring supplies for area schools or medical clinics in need, you’ll make a priceless impact in the lives of our local children and families. Click the link below to learn more and view our list of supplies that are needed for these community/school project/projects.
Learn more about Pack for a Purpose and how YOU CAN HELP
Belize community involvement
Belize Disaster and Rescue Response Team (founder)
In 1993, after just one short year of opening the tiny and struggling Caves Branch, Ian realized there was no emergency response team in Belize. With concern for not only his own guests at Caves Branch, but all travelers throughout Belize, Ian initiated, created & provided ongoing training & financial support for the first national (all volunteer) rescue organization in Belize, BDARRT. After 12 years of developing the program, and performing countless rescues & relief operations, both in Belize and abroad, Ian turned the program over to local leadership where it still remains active today.
Belize community involvement
BAD CATS (founder)
In 2004, Caves Branch created the not-for-profit BAD CAT’s “Youth at Learning Risk” program. During its 3 years, this program provided tutoring, mentoring, a school meal program, high school and college scholarships, and adventure trips to build self esteem & self confidence, for youths that were identified as potentially dropping out of school, due to already failing 5 or more subjects. The BAD CAT’s program had a success rate of 72% in assisting these youths in graduating from one year to another &, for some, continuing their education into college.

Visiting Caves Branch soon?
Consider making space in your luggage for much needed books or supplies:

Books in Bags
Pack for a Purpose

“You can’t train nice. You can’t teach super friendly. This place has gone out and found the nicest, friendliest people in the country, and hired and trained them on the technical parts of their jobs. Each and every person we encountered working here went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and at home.”

 – Todd H: A TripAdvisor User – 

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