Thirty entrepreneurs in western Jamaica have benefitted from a recent soapmaking workshop, which was hosted at Rusea’s High School in Hanover by the Social Development Commission (SDC).
The workshop formed part of the SDC’s Local Economic Development Support Programme (LEDSP), which aims to equip aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners with practical and marketable skills to boost local economic resilience.
The workshop, which was attended by entrepreneurs from Hanover and St. James, incorporated theoretical and practical components.
It was conducted by owner of a successful Local Economic Initiative (LEI) in St. James, Dorceen Jennings, and covered wide-ranging topics.
These include: the definition, history and categories of soaps; types of processes used to make soap; the importance of Total Fatty Matter in the soapmaking process; raw materials and basic equipment used in the soapmaking process, and safety gears and measures for soapmaking.
Director of Local Economic Development at the SDC, Avril Ranger, tells JIS News that the session’s staging underscores the effectiveness of community-centred approaches towards economic development.
“By fostering entrepreneurship through skill-building workshops, the SDC is not only creating businesses, but also cultivating a sense of economic independence that will benefit communities for generations,” she informs.
Ms. Ranger commends the workshop’s facilitator, noting that she provided “an engaging and interactive training experience”, which ensured that participants, not only learned the craft, but also gained the confidence to apply the skills in their businesses.
She informs that the soap-making workshop is among several planned for the financial year.
“We’ll be covering essential business development areas, such as bookkeeping, modern marketing, taxation, packaging, and product standardisation in upcoming sessions. These initiatives are crucial to our broader strategy of fostering self-reliance and reinforcing economic resilience within communities,” Ms. Ranger says.
Meanwhile, three of the participants received grants totalling $50,000, a demonstration of the SDC’s commitment to economic empowerment.
To qualify for the grants, participants had to be registered as an LEI with the SDC, completed at least two other SDC capacity-building sessions and show a clear intent to use their newly acquired skills to expand their businesses.
Owner, West Jamaica Sea Moss, Andrew Parkes, who was one of the grant recipients, expresses gratitude, noting he is happy to have participated in the workshop.
“I attended to learn how to incorporate sea moss into soap bars, and I am excited to expand my product line with this new skill. The grant I received will help kickstart this venture, and I am eager to see where it takes my company,” he says.
The LEDSP is funded by the Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.
Over 400 LEIs in 273 communities across Jamaica are being supported under the programme.
