BELIZE'S DAIMLERCHRYSLER AGENT DONATE TO PLWAS

UNCLAS BELMOPAN 000051 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR AND WHA/CEN (MACK) GUATEMALA FOR USAID (CRONK) AND CDC (EMONTERROSO) PORT OF SPAIN FOR CDC (JENNINGS) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KHIV SOCI BH SUBJECT: BELIZE'S DAIMLERCHRYSLER AGENT DONATE TO PLWAS ¶1. On January 17, Bravo Motors, Belize's authorized agent/distributor for DaimlerChrysler, donated the proceeds of a 2006 Nissan Grand Raffle to "The Living With Hope Foundation" to help people living with HIV and AIDS. ¶2. Bravo Motors is the authorized agent in Belize for DaimlerChrysler and imports mostly SUVs and trucks from Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. The company also imports a small selection of foreign vehicles, such as the Nissan Frontier that the firm raffled last December. Bravo's General Manager Eddie Bouloy claimed that he was inspired early last year to donate the profits of the Nissan marketing campaign when he learned that most of what Living With Hope collects goes to helping people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWAs). ¶3. The company later teamed up with an importer of building materials to raise some funds to help the Living With Hope Foundation empower those persons in Belize who are living with HIV and AIDS. Mr. Bouloy said that he intends to include a portion for charities in the company's future campaigns/raffles. Also of note is that the winner of the Nissan Frontier donated BZ$500 to Living With Hope. ¶4. The Living With Hope Foundation is a three-year-old charitable organization that offers financial assistance to those PLWAs in need. It has given monies out to cover medical expenses, food, clothing, and most importantly to purchase income-generating items such as weed-eaters and sewing machines to help the PLWAs become self-sufficient. To date 85 people have benefited from the service. Belize's Ambassador and Special Envoy for Children, Gender and HIV/AIDS, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, received the donations on behalf of the PLWAs in her capacity as chairperson of the foundation's steering committee. DIETER