Seventeen inmates from Bordelais Correctional Facility (BCF) have completed a three-day soap-making workshop as the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) continues with its commitment to empower Saint Lucians.
The soap-making workshop was initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in collaboration with Bordelais Correctional Facility and TaiwanICDF, and aimed to build capacity for the residents of BCF while reducing dependence on purchasing soaps externally.
During the workshop, the participants — males and females — learned both theoretical and practical aspects of soap-making from facilitator, Ms. Kishma Louis, founder and owner of Elegante Claire Cosmetics. They were subsequently split into groups where they made soaps in a variety of designs and fragrances.
A short graduation ceremony was held at Bordelais Correctional Facility on Wednesday morning, November 27, 2024, where the participants were praised for their efforts and creativity. They also received certificates of completion and gift bags with samples of the soaps they made.
H.E. Peter Chia-Yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, congratulated the 17 participants, stating that the workshop demonstrated their perseverance and determination.
“Developing new skills is a powerful way of personal growth, even within challenging circumstances,” Ambassador Chen told the participants. “I believe that the knowledge and skills gained here could pave the way to new opportunities as everyone looks toward a brighter future.”
Ambassador Chen added: “As we recognize BCF playing a pivotal role in social security and rehabilitation, the workshop also helps BCF strengthen the self-sufficiency and efficient use of resources.”
Ambassador Chen extended gratitude to Hon. Alfred Prospere, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, and his team for their continued support of Taiwan’s agriculture projects that benefit farmers, communities and others who need assistance. He also thanked the Ministry of Home Affairs, Director Kerwin Albert, and the staff at BCF who contributed to the workshop’s success.
The soap-making workshop formed part of the “Enhancement of the Efficiency of Production-Distribution Supply Chain in Fruit and Vegetable Sector Project — Second Term”, commonly known as the “Seven Crops Project”. The objective of the Project is to strengthen Saint Lucia’s agricultural capacity building.
In his remarks, Hon. Alfred Prospere, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, recounted his long professional journey which started when he became a labourer at the Forestry Department in 1986. Over the next few years, he familiarized himself with the various aspects of agriculture, later becoming the Chief Forestry Officer. He explained that acquiring the right skills set is essential to becoming successful.
“It all starts with a skill and that opportunity that is available to you, where you can learn something that would cause you to generate a reliable and sustainable income,” said Hon. Prospere, who is also Parliamentary Representative for Dennery South. “When you have that skill, you can convert it into a viable business venture that can cause you to make money.”
Hon. Prospere encouraged the inmates to come up with creative ways to convert the skills they learned during the workshop into viable business ventures. He noted that while they might not have the requisite funding and space to start their own businesses, they can partner with others who can provide those resources, including the Youth Economy Agency (YEA).
“There’s the Youth Economy Agency which you can reach out to with a proposal as to how you want to develop a soap-making venture in this very institution,” Hon. Prospere advised the inmates. “I’m hoping that all seventeen of you are talking to each other and getting to a common understanding as to what are the next steps from here. I do not think that today’s graduation ceremony should be the end of what you learned, but how you convert what you learned into action and income generation.”
Hon. Prospere noted that upon leaving prison, persons should be given a fair opportunity to make a positive contribution to society and not be stigmatized and isolated. Acknowledging that the inmates do possess potential for growth, he said more training opportunities will be made available in the future, including in agriculture, bee-keeping, and other areas.
In closing, he thanked the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for continuing to provide capacity building in various areas to Saint Lucians.
Also expressing appreciation for the training workshop was Mr. Chris Felix, Deputy Director of Corrections at Bordelais Correctional Facility. He thanked the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for collaborating with Bordelais Correctional Facility to provide creative skills to the inmates.
“I’m very proud that you have come on board with the Bordelais Correctional Facility to give us that opportunity to give the inmates the skills that they can now make soaps,” he said. “When the inmates leave this institution, they would have the skills that can help them earn some kind of income.”
To ensure that inmates continue to benefit from the soap-making workshops, the Taiwan Technical Mission also donated essential equipment and raw materials to the Bordelais Correctional Facility.
The Bordelais Correctional Facility in Dennery, which opened in 2003, aims to protect society by providing a controlled, secure, safe, humane, productive and rehabilitative environment for those assigned to its custody.