Planting Seeds of Character Education in Belize
By Poppy Richie
Isaac Durst, Poppy Richie, Dr. Jeremy Cayetano - Director of Anglican schools in Belize presenting at the workshop
For over twenty years, Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP) in Japan has quietly nurtured something extraordinary in Belize—the only English-speaking country in Central America. What began as a service project has blossomed into a movement: empowering teachers to bring virtues and values into classrooms across the country.
“Character education changes not just lessons, but lives,” one participant shared. That’s why, for the past five years, WFWP Japan has focused its efforts on training primary and high school educators.
In August 2024, Mr. Alan Saunders and I were invited to Belize City to work alongside Mrs. Jacqueline Welch, Director of Methodist Primary Schools, and Mrs. Barbara Elrington, Principal of The Samuel Haynes Institute of Excellence. Together we led a three-day teacher training workshop, approved by the Teacher Learning Institute and worth 15 hours of professional credit. Teachers left with tools, confidence, and fresh inspiration for the new school year.
Fast forward to August 2025: Mr. Isaac Durst and I returned to Belize—this time joined by WFWP Japan representatives Mrs. Carmen Gomez, Mrs. Ando, and Mrs. Junko Yanai—to reach a new group of educators from Anglican Primary Schools. Again, the Teacher Learning Institute offered 15 hours of credit for participants who completed a creative assignment: crafting their own lesson plan and story centered on virtues like respect, responsibility, and gratitude.
Teachers busy at the workshop, creating character education lesson plans
The workshops were not just about theory. Teachers gained access to interactive curricula—valuesandvirtues.org and Discovering the Real Me—packed with stories, lesson plans, and activities organized by grade level and virtue. We even created a WhatsApp group for teachers and principals to swap stories, encourage one another, and keep the momentum alive throughout the school year.
One teacher commented that the website was “a treasure trove” because it’s free, easy to use, and filled with hundreds of inspiring stories. The teachers’ enthusiasm reaffirmed our belief that investing in values-based education plants seeds that will grow for generations.
It was a privilege to join such a capable team of planners and supporters, and to share our experience through presentations, activities, coaching, and heartfelt conversations.
We invite WFWP members and friends to explore valuesandvirtues.org for themselves and help us spread the word to teachers, parents, grandparents, and homeschool groups. The project manager, Mr. Isaac Durst, can be reached at idurst@gmail.com.
As a longtime WFWP member, I have conducted character education training in Zambia, St. Lucia, Micronesia, the U.S.A., and Belize. Every time I see teachers light up with new ideas, I’m reminded of why we do this work: to equip those who shape the hearts of the next generation.
Together, we’re not just training teachers—we’re growing a forest of virtues for the future.
