The future is bright for the next generation of entrepreneurs. That was the general sentiment expressed when sixty-eight students from Fond St. Jacques completed a three-week Youth Entrepreneur Summer Camp.

The Fond St. Jacques Youth Entrepreneur Summer Camp, themed “Creating Young Entrepreneurs”, falls under the Community Business Revitalization Project, a collaboration between the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) in Saint Lucia and the Ministry of Commerce. It aims to transform local business development and people’s quality of life comprehensively by supporting community businesses and focusing on capacity building for the next generation.

During the summer camp, participants practiced pitching their ideas to their peers, created unique business names and logos, and participated in workshops where they made items including friendship bracelets, earrings, insect repellent, flowers, clothing, and cupcakes. They also developed essential skills in fundamental business planning, marketing, and product development.

A certificate ceremony was held at the Fond St. Jacques Credit Cooperative Society Ltd.’s auditorium on Friday afternoon, August 9, 2024, where the participants were awarded for their efforts. They also came in for high praise from the speakers, all of whom encouraged them to continue developing their entrepreneurial habits.

E. Peter Chia-Yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, told the participants that while traditional subjects mainly develop one’s intelligence quotient (IQ), the summer camp focused on cultivating their EQ (emotional quotient). He referenced sprint sensation Julien Alfred, who won Saint Lucia’s first two medals at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, as an example of great achievement.

“During her many years of competitions, she must have faced many challenges and was nervous, and through training she learned to stay calm and give her best effort,” Ambassador Chen told the youngsters. “This is a true demonstration of high emotional intelligence. Individuals with high EQ often possess more entrepreneurship because entrepreneurs must overcome challenges and nervousness -- like talking to strangers, dealing with customer rejections, finding ways to attract public attention, and creating value for their products and themselves.”

Ambassador Chen added that: “Entrepreneurship can be learnt and developed, and it is not just necessary for real entrepreneurs, but also important for all young people facing the future world. In the future, you might not choose to become an entrepreneur or business owner. You might decide to be a teacher, a civil servant or an engineer. No matter what profession you pursue in the future, you will play an important role in society with an entrepreneurial spirit.”

Ambassador Chen extended appreciation to Hon. Emma Hippolyte for her exceptional leadership and devotion to the community, as well as to the officials from the Ministry of Commerce, members of the Fond St. Jacques Development Committee, and colleagues from the Taiwan Technical Mission, for making the summer camp possible. He also congratulated the youth entrepreneurs and their parents present, telling the parents that they have nurtured potential entrepreneurs and leaders for Fond St. Jacques and Saint Lucia.

Hon. Emma Hippolyte, Minister for Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs, and Parliamentary Representative for Soufriere/Fond St. Jacques, praised the Taiwan Technical Mission for supporting the progressive community-based initiative. She also encouraged the participants to continue tapping into their entrepreneurial energies and ideas.

“Each one of you holds within you a world of potential -- a universe of ideas waiting to be unleashed,” Hon. Hippolyte said. “You are the dreamers, the thinkers, and the doers who will shape our tomorrow. I understand that you range in age from 6 to 16, and I applaud the support that your parents have given you. This is extremely important.”

Hon. Hippolyte also had some words of advice to the young entrepreneurs, telling them to use the fundamentals they learned during the summer camp to inspire greater learning in the future.

“Go ahead and use the tools and strategies you’ve learned here to bring your vision to life,” she said. “Stay curious and keep learning. The world of business is always changing for there’s always more to learn. Read books, watch videos, attend workshops, and seek new and useful information. The more you know, the more equipped you will be to navigate the challenges ahead.”

The summer camp was facilitated by the Fond St. Jacques Development Committee, whose President, Mrs. Sandra Prospere, commended the young participants for venturing into the exciting world of entrepreneurship. She said the certificates they were receiving were testament to their growth and development as young entrepreneurs and future business leaders.

“Over these three weeks, they have not only learned the fundamentals of entrepreneurial skills, but also applied them with remarkable creativity and determination: from brainstorming business ideas and crafting their first business plans to conducting market research and role-playing customer service scenarios,” Prospere explained.

Prospere also expressed gratitude to the Taiwan Technical Mission for sponsoring the summer camp and closing ceremony. “Since you stepped into the community, you have proved your support and, moreso, the hand-holding. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Before the certificate ceremony began, Ambassador Chen and Hon. Hippolyte toured the booths and engaged with the young entrepreneurs.

Also present at the certificate ceremony were Mr. Daniel Lee, Chief of the Taiwan Technical Mission in Saint Lucia; Mr. Louis Tsou, Project Manager at the Taiwan Technical Mission; Mr. Darnell Bobb, Manager of Fond St. Jacques Credit Cooperative Society Ltd; Mr. Ernest Augier, Executive Director of Soufriere Regional Development Foundation; parents, and small business owners from Fond St. Jacques.