We Are Mayreau Completes Inaugural HER Program for Women in Business
Nation-building is not solely the work of infrastructure or policy; it is grounded in strengthening human capacity, community resilience, and inclusive leadership. The Holistic Entrepreneurial Reframing (HER) program, implemented by the grassroots nonprofit We Are Mayreau Inc. (WAM), does just that, through care, collaboration, and economic empowerment.
Launched in the wake of Hurricane Beryl and in response to enduring economic and social vulnerabilities in the Southern Grenadines, HER is a 12-week pilot program that provides mentorship, wellness support, and small business funding to women entrepreneurs. Funded and supported by a coalition of global and regional feminist partners, the Global Fund for Women, Caribbean Women in Leadership (St. Kitts division), and the Caribbean Feminist Climate Justice Movement, HER represents a transformative recovery model by placing women at the forefront of climate resilience and local development.
The inaugural HER cohort included four dynamic entrepreneurs from Mayreau: Dorothy Forde of Coconut Bar & Restaurant, Loretha Simmons-Isaacs of Lolo’s, Nadica Bartholomew of Nadie’s, and Venecia Ollivierre of Wukkaman. These women, who operate primarily in tourism and food services, embody entrepreneurial spirit and leadership under pressure. Each participant received $1,000 USD in small business funding and, more critically, gained access to a wide range of holistic resources.
The program distinguished itself by integrating personal and professional development through personalised mental health plans, fitness and nutrition training, financial literacy tools, business planning sessions, and an introductory 2-part series on ‘Gender and the Environment’. These tools provided both immediate relief and mapped long-term pathways for growth. A hand-picked team of facilitators supported participants, including: Madanna Douglas-Johnson of VincyKlus Inc. (business planning through proposal development), Kimmette Robertson of MindTHRIVE Co. (mental health and coaching), Selreen Gibson of SwooshBomb Fitness (wellness and nutrition), and Stacy Balcombe of Hibiscus Business Development Services (financial literacy). Additionally, participants were supported by We Are Mayreau’s Executive Director and Founder, Marion Isaacs and Strategy Consultant Jessica Jaja, who operated in the capacity of program mentors.
HER is built on the belief that entrepreneurship does not exist in a vacuum. It recognises the complex realities women face, as caregivers, business leaders, and community anchors, and seeks to empower them on every level. By offering safe, affirming spaces, HER enabled women to rebuild with clarity, confidence, and alignment between personal values and business goals.
“Disasters can bring some of our darkest human characteristics centre stage, but they also give birth to the most beautiful aspects of our humanity,” said Marion Isaacs, “HER responds to this reality with empathy, structure, and strategy—supporting women to lead their communities with strength.”
Jessica Jaja described the program as “an all-encompassing approach to supporting women professionally,” noting that “it is in bridging business knowledge with mental and physical well-being that true transformation and impact can be possible.” She praised the dedication of all involved, from participants to facilitators and funders.
The program concluded with a heartfelt closing ceremony on April 11th, 2025, at The Ranch Escapade in Mayreau. Participants, family members, community members, and guest speaker Aria Laidlow-Ferdinand—advisor to the Caribbean Feminist Climate Justice Movement, one of HER’s funding partners—attended the ceremony, honouring the participants’ achievements and highlighting the program’s broader impact. In her remarks, Laidlow-Ferdinand shared, “You are all national leaders in the movement for climate, gender, and economic justice. Your experiences carry wisdom and responsibility. Building resilience goes beyond infrastructure—it requires intersectional awareness, environmental stewardship, and gender-responsive action. The HER initiative ignites vital conversations about what it truly means to build back better, together.”
HER does not just support small businesses; it cultivates leadership, deepens community resilience, and models a new approach to nation-building. It provides a gender-sensitive, disaster-responsive framework for Small Island Developing States grappling with climate-related crises and economic insecurity.
As We Are Mayreau Inc. prepares to scale HER nationally, the vision is clear: adaptive communities led by empowered women, where care work is recognised as critical infrastructure, and recovery efforts honour emotional healing and economic justice. HER is more than a program—it is a movement toward an equitable, climate-resilient future for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Founded in 2016, We Are Mayreau Inc. is an all-woman grassroots initiative. Its mission is to improve access and participation, health and well-being, and environmental stewardship for residents of our small island community, as well as education and entrepreneurship. WAM is a registered nonprofit organisation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with projects and programs backed and supported by reputable local, regional, and international partners.
