The smell of boiled chicken and cured meat filled the lower level of the raised house. The room appears to have been built as an after thought, pieced together with wood framing and corrugated metal sheeting.

The walls define the room rather than keep out the elements, as there are no windows and the doors open and close in the breeze.
There is an unfinished look to the room, but the weather is warm, so insulation is unnecessary, and drywall and plaster would just mold or rot during hurricane season, when the area floods.

The expanded room was a necessity. There are currently eight children living there, and the original structure is approximately 600 square feet.
The youngest child in the household is less than 18 months old. The two oldest boys have since moved out, but live less than 200 feet away with their wives and growing families.
Living close allows them to assist in the family business, which in Belize it’s more survival than entrepreneurial.
Their father, Ben, is disabled and not able to work full-time, but tends to be rather resourceful. He picks up jobs where he can and is always searching for the next big thing, to make life a little easier.

As Ben and I talk, his wife stands over the stove, prepping beans and rice for lunch. They have two children stopping home from school to get something to eat. For those lucky enough to get a meal everyday, this is the staple meal for Belize. She appears to work non-stop, tending to the needs of the family as well as prepping foods and items for her boys to sell at the local markets and ferry crossings.
The family is known for its fresh roasted peanuts, home-made cheeses and their delicious chicken sausage, which hung from the rafters just a few short feet away.