TWENTY micro business owners have secured grants from the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) thanks to a partnership between the IAF and Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia.
These grants, Raise Your Voice Director Alberta Richelieu said, will benefit recipients (women with a background in agriculture) in several ways.
The initiative, she noted, “is not merely about overcoming economic hurdles, but rather is about empowering women to become drivers of positive change.”
“Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia guided by a vision of empowerment orchestrates a combination of targeted training programmes and financial support. The aim is clear and that is to fortify the capacities of these women by endowing them with essential skills, knowledge and resources,” Richelieu said at a ceremony last week.
“The strategic investment in agriculture and agro processing aligns seamlessly with the overarching goal of creating sustainable and resilient businesses, effectively dismantling the cycle of vulnerability fostering a more inclusive and equitable society,” Richelieu added.
According to her, for the recipients, the grants signify more than tangible support.
Said Richelieu: “It marks their initiation of a network of solidarity and empowerment. The ripple effect of these grants extend far beyond individual businesses permeating the wider community and society. It reinforces the notion that when women are economically empowered societies flourish. In the ongoing mission of Raise Your Voice Inc, these initiatives serve as a beacon of hope transforming marginalized women from victims into empowered agents of change.”
Speaking on the importance of food security, Prime Minister Philip J Pierre who was also in attendance told the entrepreneurs that “more people are suffering from a lack of food now than before… Seeing you this morning and knowing that organization have decided to work with Raise Your Voice to be able to give you these grants of US $500 each… it really makes my heart feel good because I see that the message is going forward.”
He urged the women to take charge of their businesses and make decisions that would benefit their companies. Importantly, Pierre told the audience, recipients shouldn’t view themselves as people “who just plant crops… you have a business and in a business you must keep records. Try to add value to the products that you are growing.”
“I think there can be a marriage between your crops and (the agro processing lab that is being built now). You have to understand that your business can grow into a massive business,” Pierre said.