A local organisation has no regrets participating in CARIFESTA XIII.
Thirty-one of the 100 members of the Women Entrepreneurs of Barbados (WEB) took the opportunity to showcase their products at CARIFESTA’s Grand Market and Buyers’ Shopping Mall held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC).
“CARIFESTA was a success for the women. They attended all eight days at LESC – they sold their products; they made money,” Advisor on Poverty Eradication and the Millennium Development Goals, Undene Whittaker, revealed to The Barbados Advocate.
“As the Advisor on Poverty Eradication, the specific goal I am trying to work towards is the empowerment of women. So, I see this as all part of it, where women who have skills and are seeking to have financial enfranchisement – that we give them the opportunity.”
Joining forces with Mompreneurs of Barbados, the entrepreneurs had on offer a wide selection of their locally-made condiments, clothing, art and craft as well as home and décor items.
“We had quite an interesting time… Another marketing environment in which they were able to compete, and compete favourably. Some of the ladies even received verbal contracts from persons locally and overseas. They succeeded in making contacts,” Whittaker said.
Juliet Amos, owner of Julie’s Creation, who specialises in crochet, said that she received several orders.
“The first couple of days were not what I expected, but afterwards my products started to sell. I didn’t have enough. My crochet dresses for both adults and children were among the favourites. Both locals and overseas participants were drawn to my products. I make hats, bags, tablecloths, chair backs, dresses, baby hats and booties and more… My experience was very good,” said the long-time WEB member.
Relatively new to WEB, Natasha Gibson, a natural hair and nail technician by profession, has been making jewellery – both fabric and beaded – for the past five years.
“I was expecting to do more in terms of sales, but I was happy to be able to get the exposure,” she said.
“It was good to be at CARIFESTA and let the public see my work, but it was also good to see what other people are doing; there were others like myself also trying to get their product out there.”
‘Uniquely Crafted’ by Juan Wilson has been in operation for the past two years. She described WEB as a “very interesting group”.
“WEB pushes the ladies forward at every event to market our products,” expressed Wilson, who makes jewellery, cheesecake and crème liquor.
“I saw CARIFESTA as an experience. I did not know what to expect. I found that I got most of my sales from persons of the other Caribbean islands as opposed to Bajans. They really liked the rum crème liquor… I am presently trying to get the drink in supermarkets because persons have been inquiring where they can get it.”
Entrepreneur Lorna Williams of ‘Fancy Flavours and Creations’ already has her sights set on attending CARIFESTA XIV, which takes place in Trinidad and Tobago in 2019.
Specialising in confectionary and preservatives, she expressed: “This was my first CARIFESTA and it was an experience for me.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but I loved the experience and I would do it again. There was interest in my preservatives from persons from overseas and I gave them my contact information. It was a positive experience and I am considering the next CARIFESTA.” (TL)