By Richardeen Williams. Updated 3:03 p.m., Sunday, April 24, 2022, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
With women empowerment becoming a steady movement throughout the world, Countess Sophie spent much of her Royal visit around the diverse women of St.Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Countess of Wessex and her husband Edward, the Earl of Wessex, arrived at the Argyle International Airport on Saturday April 23rd in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
They commemorated the day with a list of activities namely presenting medals to honorable citizens, attending meetings with government officials and locals and the traditional tree planting exercise.
One of the highlights of their visit, however, featured the interactions of Countess Sophie with Vincentian women.
At an event at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, the princess conversed with female entrepreneurs where she learnt about local products. She was first presented by the brand “brio Che” owned by Camille Warren which is an all natural and luxurious skin care line filled with its main ingredient coconut. She later went to another stall “isle Antilles” which advertised candles and cemented products. It was reported by the owners that the Countess was surprised by the scent of the candles and the colors of the cemented products. At stall 3, she met with the owners of “Ronz organic seamoss gel “where she learnt about the various colors of seamoss and their benefits. The last two female entrepreneurs of the brands “isles Antilles and Ronz organic seamoss gel” started their businesses at the start of the Covid 19 pandemic. Both traders stated that the Countess deeply complimented them on their persistence through the Covid-19 pandemic.
After the meeting with the entrepreneurs, Her Royal Highness took a few steps over to interact with persons with disabilities. One lady reported that the countess encouraged them [persons with disabilities] to “continue to spread awareness,” while finding means of marketing and selling their products such as hand made pillows, crochet phone cases and hand bags to hotels and other business entities. Her Royal Highness then assembled with the Society of and for the Blind to speak to its members and admired the waist beads, mops and other handmade products that they produced.
A close source to the princess stated that Her Royal Highness was inspired to join with eye charities such as the “Eye Hospital” – an aircraft that goes around the world to check and help people with eye illness. This was inspired by one of her daughters who had an eye problem.
After the exhibition, the princess was led to a private meeting with women who shared their views and experience on the 2021 La Soufriere volcanic eruption. The session was led by moderator Shernell Hadaway.
The other women in the meeting were Ms. Michelle Forbes, Ms. Shafia London, Mrs. LaToya DeRoche-John, Ms. Althia Jordan, Ms. Hazzard Joseph and Ms. Ikarmola LaBorde.
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