About Hawksbill Hope

Hawksbill Hope, Inc was founded in 2009 as a nonprofit by Dr. Rimkus to aid in the conservation of Belize’s natural resources. Hawksbill Hope provides support to the sea turtle tracking program, paying for supplies and the wages of local people who monitor the nesting beaches.

Our network of generous donors, volunteers and students share a mission of preserving sea turtles and providing educational opportunities to Gales Point school children.

Hawksbill High School

In 2017, Hawksbill Hope turned its attention to education and started to send Gales Point children to high school. In 2017 we sent 2 children to high school, in 2018, we sent 16, in 2019 and we sent 32 children off to high school in 2019. A high school education in a great leg up for these children and it costs about $300 US per year. The only way that these children can go to high school is with the support of Hawksbill Hope.

Marymount Study Abroad

Hawksbill Hope partners with Marymount University’s study abroad Belize program. Dr. Rimkus, a Biology professor at Marymount, teaches courses in marine biology in Gales Point Belize during the summer. Students are involved in hands-on science by patrolling beaches, monitory nest and deploying satellite tags on sea turtles. While studying abroad Dr. Rimkus’s students act as mentors and work with local gales point school students on beach clean-ups.

“One thing I hear over and over from students is the recognition that their own lives could be a little simpler and that they can do more for people who have less. If I can get students to think that, not only am I doing my job teaching that course, I’m contributing something to humanity.”– Dr. Rimkus

A commitment to the Gales Point community

In 2022 Dr Rimkus lead a team of volunteers who built a classroom for Gales Point Primary School.