Project Name：Assisting the Economic Empowerment of Women Project in Latin America and the Caribbean in the Post COVID-19 Era Project/St. Kitts and Nevis

Project status：Projects in Operation

Cooperating Country：Caribbean, St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis

Project Description：

To support the post-pandemic economic recovery of our allies in Latin America and the Caribbean, and to maintain social stability through enhancing women's economic empowerment, this project aligns with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' policy planning. By integrating financial services with employment and entrepreneurial capacity building, it aims to assist women and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in coping with the impact of the pandemic, thereby promoting economic recovery and social stability in our allied countries. The main components of the project include:

1. Institutional capacity enhancement
2. Vocational skills training for women
3. Women's entrepreneurship incubation and guidance
4. Relief guidance for MSMEs

Implementation Start Date：2021-08-01

Implementation End Date：2025-12-31

Project Objectives：

1. Enhance institutional functions.
2. Provide vocational skills training for women.
3. Offer women’s entrepreneurship incubation and guidance.
4. Provide relief guidance for MSMEs.

Executing Agency：

Taiwan Technical Mission in St. Kitts and Nevis/ Ministry of Social Development & Gender Affairs; Youth Empowerment Ageing and Disabilities

Current Progress：

By the end of 2024, the following activities have been implemented:

1. Strengthened key institutions, including the Advanced Vocational Education Center (AVEC), the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU), and the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Affairs. A total of 43 vocational education teachers and administrators, 30 business consultants, and 13 financial institution professionals have completed training, enhancing local capacity in vocational education, entrepreneurship support, and financial literacy promotion, providing better employment and entrepreneurship support for women and unemployed individuals.
2. Completed vocational skills training for women and unemployed individuals, with 255 graduates from nine vocational training courses, including business management, digital technology applications, professional beauty services, commercial cooking, project management, electrical work, welding, carpentry, and air conditioning. Additionally, to further strengthen women's and unemployed individuals' entrepreneurial and employment capabilities, six additional vocational training programs are planned for 2025.
3. Conducted five entrepreneurship coaching and business management training programs, training 120 entrepreneurs and providing one-on-one business diagnosis and consultation for over 100 startups and SMEs. To support women entrepreneurs and ensure business stability, the project has provided women’s entrepreneurship grants and angel funding, benefiting 95 women and businesses.
4. Completed international women’s advocacy and empowerment actions, supporting two NGOs in implementing women's development projects and organizing one Caribbean regional forum, bringing together government officials, international organizations, and NGO representatives from six countries to discuss women's economic empowerment and sustainable development. Additionally, through the Women’s Entrepreneurship Exhibition, 14 project beneficiaries showcased their entrepreneurial achievements, further enhancing women’s role and influence in economic development.

Project Contact：Andy Chen

Phone：02-28886038

E-mail：y.a.chen@icdf.org.tw