11 Women Entrepreneurs Graduate from CAFRA Training Workshop

20th August 2023

By Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan)

Eleven women received certificates of completion recently after undergoing months of training in soap-making and garment construction sponsored by the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) in Saint Lucia.

The graduation ceremony was held on Sunday, August 13, 2023, in the auditorium at St. Joseph’s Convent, where the women entrepreneurs were congratulated for their hard work and determination.

In October 2022, the workshops hosted by the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA) began with 20 women from Saint Lucia and 15 from St. Vincent and the Grenadines receiving training in the two specialty areas under the Women’s Economic Empowerment Project. They also acquired capacity building skills in marketing, branding, business standards, costing, and entrepreneurship.

Attendees at the graduation ceremony getting a glimpse of the body products on display that were created by the graduates

Through the training, the women were able to create fashion wear, and a wide array of soaps, shampoos, conditioners, body scrubs, and body creams. They were also tasked with coming up with their own unique brand under which the items would be marketed, resulting in the Beautiful You brand.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, His Excellency Peter Chia-yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, said he was pleased that some of the participants have already been approached by small hotels and properties to supply items. He noted that it speaks to women’s desire to succeed despite the challenges they often face.

“I am very glad that, through this project, women in the Caribbean region have become resilient economic agents who are able to maximize their resources to pursue and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable economic growth that is essential for overall Caribbean development,” said Ambassador Chen. “This valuable outcome should be credited to CAFRA and the St. Lucia Industrial and Small Business Association for their lasting support.”

Ambassador Chen added: “I wish all the participants who had benefited from this training the best of success as you embark on a journey of empowerment and economic independence. The Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) will continue to work with the Government of Saint Lucia and all partners to support female entrepreneurs and women economic empowerment.”

Nadine Constantine, CAFRA’s Regional Coordinator, stated that the project mirrors CAFRA’s vision of empowering women economically, which can lead to improved national economies, increased household productivity and living standards, improved well-being of children with long-term positive impacts.

“In our case in Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the impact of the project is already very visible, as several of the project beneficiaries now have their own brand and have begun using their new skills to boost their income potential,” Constantine explained. “We have also begun to work collectively under the Beautiful You brand in the production of some items, and will facilitate more robust manufacturing as soon as we have acquired some much-needed additional equipment.”

Constantine thanked the Taiwan Technical Mission, the Ministry of Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs, and the facilitators for their support on the project.

These beautiful dresses were created under the Beautiful You brand as part of the workshop.

Constantine said many of the participants have since had their items showcased through meetings with the private sector, Farmer’s Market, and attendance at a trade mission to Martinique. In many instances, the networking has resulted in orders for their items.

Meanwhile, Flavia Cherry, President of the St. Lucia Industrial & Small Business Association (SLISBA), congratulated the graduates, telling them that SLISBA remains committed to increasing women entrepreneurship and providing them with the support they need to realize their full potential and achieve economic empowerment. She also urged them to be the inspiration for other women.

“Always remember that you are a winner and that there is no obstacle that can stand in your way now that you have jumped this hurdle and succeeded,” Cherry told the graduates. “There will be many other opportunities, and I urge you to grab onto every single learning opportunity and keep pushing on. I am personally aware of the resilience that exists in this group and I can seriously tell you that the sky is the limit.”

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