Promotion of Employment as a Cross Cutting Concern of Social

Policies

“Livelihood Creation for Women Made Redundant by the Closure of the Sugar

Industry in St. Kitts and Nevis

Presented by Ian M Liburd

Background

• 350 year old industry • Shaped economic

and social landscape• High production

costs, decline in contribution to GDP and loss of preferential markets over the years

• Closed in July 2005

Life after sugar?

• 1,200 workers made redundant including 330 women

• 81% of women employed in field operation

• Women unskilled and lacked certification

• One year later only 25% of women re-employed

Retraining and Retooling

• Persons interested in hospitality, construction, vehicle maintenance and agriculture

• Training must reflect workers interests

• Training should be based on market needs

• Necessary to create opportunities for self-employment and micro enterprise

The manufacturing of  school uniforms and industrial

uniforms for the tourism sector

• Assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank

• Target 15 women from St. Pauls• Participants attended work/study attachment in

St. Vincent and the Grenadines• Group started own business and now provide uniforms for government’s school uniform assistance programme

Livelihood Creation

• 30 women from sugar belt

• Training in upholstery and tiling

• Not many skilled in upholstery

• Burgeoning construction industry

Life Skills

• Numeracy and Literacy

• Self Esteem• Effective

Communication• Parenting Skills• Relationship Skills• Good Business

Practices

• Entrepreneurship• Decision making, • Professionalism• Marketing • Ethical Standards• Budgeting and

Record Keeping• Customer Service

Positive Feedback

• “Things I did not understand I was able to understand and now I will be able to do my own business”

• “It was an eye opener for me”• “I was doing a lot of things wrong, now I

know a little better”• “I learned that business planning and

record keeping can tell me what is selling and who is buying”

Contributing Factors of Success

• Effective partnership

• Marketing

• Constant motivation

• Built in quality control and additional opportunities

• Monitoring and evaluation

Effective Partnerships

• OAS and CDB for funding

• National Skills Training Programme

• Small Enterprise Development Unit

• Contractors’ Association

• The Community

• The Media

Marketing• Coverage on media

• Exhibitions

• Celebration Party after tiling was finished

• Sale of items at regional football tournament

Visit by OAS Director

Quality Control

• Facilitators to offer quality control services

• Apprenticeships

• Additional training

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Engagement of Project Coordinator

• Department will follow progress of women

Conclusion

• Number of women exposed to new skills that are used to reduce their poverty and improve their standard of living

• Women are more empowered and now accept that there is life without sugar

• Formation of lasting relationships which they can rely on for future advancement.

• Creation of employment (inclusive of self-employment)

• Provision of income generating capacity

Thanks/Gracias

ANY QUESTIONS?