CEO and founder of Me Is We, Sonnie Dean, was born and raised in Belize with his nine siblings in extreme poverty by their single mother; and he has made it his mission to help prevent more children from growing up in such hardship.

Belize is a melting pot of many cultures from all around the globe, who all identify themselves as one people – proud Belizeans. It is in desperate need of a paradigm shift, and the generational cycle of poverty will continue unless we do something now. Here are seven disturbing factors:

1. As much as 52 percent of the general population is below the poverty line, up to 50 percent of Belizean children under age 15 live in poverty, and 58 percent of Belize’s youth under 18 are classified as multidimensionally poor. These children lack access to basic needs such as healthcare and are vulnerable to exploitation.
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3. Malnutrition is a severe problem in Belize, with over 16 percent of children under the age of five suffering from stunting caused by malnutrition, and less than half of children between the ages of six months old and two years old received adequate nutrition and meal frequency the day before the study.
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5. Unemployment is a big issue in Belize, at a rate of approximately 11%, with a majority of unemployed workers in Belize remaining unemployed for six months or more.
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7. Many people still live without adequate sanitation, the availability of sanitation services has been slowly but steadily increasing, but only about 83 percent in 2000 have access to proper sanitation.
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9. People are unable to receive access to necessary health care. The Health Care Access and Quality index shows that Belize rates 55.7 out of 100 for access to and quality of health care. 
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11. Agriculture is the second most significant industry in Belize’s economy, and is particularly vulnerable to the environmental dangers presented by the climate in the country. When the agriculture industry suffers, it has an impact on the availability of affordable food and on the lives of people, especially in rural areas. Approximately 40 percent of the most disadvantaged of Belize’s population live in rural areas that depend on the agriculture industry.

Belize has one of the highest crime rates in the world, with homicides being one of the highest per capita. Other significant crimes that have become prominent are the drug trade and human trafficking. Young people living in poverty have become vulnerable to gang involvement (responsible for a significant portion of violence), and to exploitation (such as in prostitution)