During the Caribbean country’s Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrations, Saint Lucia’s official host, the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, worked with 60 partners and established more than 50 in-person activities to bring programs to nearly 2,000 participants.
This past year’s GEW activities included some fashion-forward thinking with St. Lucia’s first GEW Fashion Competition. The Chamber collaborated with the Ministry of Tourism, Heritage and the Creative Industries, the Carmen Penco School of Fashion, the St. Lucia Youth Business Trust and Junior Achievement to host and support the fashion competition.
The competition helped raise awareness of Global Entrepreneurship Week and to highlight opportunities available in the fashion industry. The program showcased young talent and budding designers, and featured the GEW logo. Emma Hippolyte, the Minister of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs, was the featured guest speaker at the GEW Fashion Competition.
There was an overwhelming response from partners and aspiring young designers through this competition. The Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Industries awarded a $1,840 grant to the winner, and other contestants received trophies, monetary contributions, scholarships, equipment, and free participation in the National Strut for a Cause Project and the BAY Walk Fest.
The St. Lucia Strut for a Cause Project is a major national event, and the Fashion Competition allowed for select designers to participate. Competition participants also had the opportunity to network with leaders in the fashion industry, and showcase their designs alongside experienced international and local designers.
Also for the first time this year, the Royal Bank of Canada partnered with GEW St. Lucia. Kevin Darling, the marketing head of business banking in Barbados and Eastern Caribbean for the RBC, was actively involved with the youth in entrepreneurship programs, and plans for the RBC to participate in future GEW activities, as well as collaborate with Junior Achievement.
Photo credit: St. Lucia News Online