Leading Helen’s Daughters for an empowered future for rural women in the Caribbean was the case for Keithlin Caroo’s nomination for the 2022 Women of the Future: 50 Rising Stars in ESG. The project, acclaims female role models and leaders in the environmental, social, governance (ESG) field who are reshaping the world for a more sustainable future.
Caroo was awarded for her impact in the social enterprise, as she steers the women of Helen’s Daughters toward stabilizing the agricultural industry on the scales of gender representation, governance, empowerment, and entrepreneurship specifically through improved market access, adaptive agricultural techniques, and capacity building.
The organisation, formed in 2016 after Caroo noted the disparities in the perception of male dominance in local agricultural production compared to the reality of significant female presence in farming.
Caroo was named a listee among 50 trailblazing young women of Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South Americas, and Oceania. She was the only listee from the Caribbean.
On receiving the announcement Caroo says, “This award and the recognition are bittersweet because while I am happy that the work of Helen’s Daughters and myself is being acknowledged globally, there are so many other Caribbean women deserving of this recognition. I hope that having my foot in the door means I can hold it open for others from our region to be recognised for their invaluable contributions in community and social development. The Caribbean has many untold stories, and ESG has been rooted in our culture in less formal ways. My dream is that we will shine a light on them so that it can inspire progress.”
Women of the Future: 50 Rising Stars in ESG is open to females aged 35 and under, who are making change through ESG. The organisers value the spirit of collaboration, kindness and making a difference.
The project aims to promote the values of ESG through programmes, networking and building a community of women who are blazing the trail in the field. It is executed in partnership with Tesco and sponsored by Aviva, Burberry and PWC, and supported by CNBC, Financial Times, University of Oxford, and Saïd Business School.
The announcement comes days ahead of International Day of Rural Women on October 15, which Caroo and Helen’s Daughters are planning to celebrate across their locations in Saint Lucia, St. Vincent, and St. Christopher (St. Kitts).