Our Mission:
Barzakh Falah is an eco-sustainable home for abandoned young children with a transitional living center for young women leaving the orphanage system. Barzakh Falah serves a dual purpose as a source of stable accommodation for these at-risk youth as well as a source of livelihood and food security through sustainable organic farming. We seek to empower our youth to realize their full potential and develop into independent members of society by offering a secure, loving, and healing environment. These children are truly the future of Belize and it is our mission to ensure their path to success to the best of our ability. As of January 2017 we are still under construction, but we hope to open and begin serving our youth by the end of 2017. Our Story:
Barzakh Falah has been a lifelong dream for founders Nancy and Jaime Marin. At a very young age, Nancy knew that she had a passion for youth advocacy. When Nancy’s grandfather passed away, she was given a piece of his land and she immediately knew she wanted to turn the property into a home for at-risk youth. In Belize, the government is responsible for the care of orphans and foster children until the age of 16. At that time, they are released from the government homes with little means sustain themselves. This leaves many girls at high risk for falling into poverty or being subjected to human trafficking. The transitional home at Barzakh Falah will provide them with an education in sustainable organic farming and provide them a safe and secure environment to live and grow. Many of the young women will need assistance coordinating further vocational training, traditional education, and apprenticeship placements. The transitional home currently comprises the first phase of this 24-acre development, although the property will eventually be shared with a second component of a larger community-housing complex for younger orphaned or abandoned children. The construction for this component of the project will begin after the establishment of the transitional home. The facilities at Barzakh Falah are designed with eco-friendly practices in mind and utilize Earth Bag homes, solar composting toilets, sustainable organic agriculture, traditional irrigation practices, and high-efficiency wood-burning stoves. At present, the first phase of Barzakh Falah is still under construction and will hopefully be open to its first occupants in late 2017.
