The Kolbe Foundation

The History

The Kolbe Foundation was formed in 2002 to take over the management of the Belize Central Prison. The Government recognized that the prison was being mismanaged and had many serious concerns. Government took the bold step of admitting this and addressing the matter. A proposal was sought and tabled and then a contract was drawn up. In August 2002, management of the facility was handed over to the Kolbe Foundation.

The Kolbe Foundation is a private, non-profit organization made up of concerned Rotarians. The name “Kolbe” honors Father Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish prisoner of the Nazis. On July 31, 1941, in reprisal for one prisoner's escape from Auschwitz, Nazi guards chose several men at random to be executed. Father Kolbe offered his own life in place of a young husband and father. Father Kolbe was the last of the group to die after enduring two weeks of starvation, thirst, and neglect. The prisoner originally picked to die survived Auschwitz and lived to age 95. In 1981 Pope John Paul II canonized Father Kolbe, who has become the patron saint of all prisoners.

It seemed fitting to the Rotarians that Father Kolbe’s name be given to an organization whose aim is a “Secure, humane facility, geared towards meaningful rehabilitation.” The motto, adopted by the Kolbe Foundation, is the reason for its existence. So far the organization feels that it has achieved the first two goals and is going full blast after the last.

The Foundation’s approach is unorthodox. It once was said that Kolbe had the chance to write a new chapter in the book on a successful prison. This was changed to the opinion that Kolbe could write the book, not just a chapter.

The Foundation is made up of a board of Directors, primarily drawn from Belize City Rotary Club. The Board brings a myriad of skills to the task: accounting, engineering, construction, military, corporate management and tourism. Plus they offer a wealth of worldly experience and, even more important, common sense.