Empowerment and Employment though recycled glass

Thursday, March 31, 2016 – Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Recently, four ladies from Matura were trained in glass crafting through a community-based social entrepreneurship project titled “Empowerment through Employment” facilitated by local NGO Nature Seekers and funded by the Digicel Foundation and the Green Fund.

The ladies were trained in glass cutting, etching, frit making, fusing, slumping and mould making by Vanessa Da La Costa of ‘Bits and Pieces’ Studio, using recycled glass found on the beaches in Matura at the annual beach clean-up initiative.

On March 31 Digicel Foundation’s Andrew Frection, Project Specialist and Cindyann Currency, Project Officer visited the Nature Seekers workshop to get an update.

During the visit the ladies proudly showed the Foundation members the various decorative designs they created, which included wind chimes, candy bowls, picture frames, ash trays and wall plaques. The items will be then sold to the locals and visitors to the community as a source of income for the ladies.

Speaking from the at the workshop, Craft Coordinator at Nature Seekers, Ms. Emma Hiscock stated “We are so grateful that Digicel Foundation recognizes the talent that already exists here in Matura and is invested in nurturing and developing this as well as assisting us to build a sustainable enterprise.”

Her sentiments were echoed by Managing Director of Nature Seekers Dennis Sammy who is enthused at this new partnership stating that “This initiative will increase the amount of recycling done by Nature Seekers and provide another great product to increase the conservation experience we share with the world”

The 8-month long project will continue at the Nature Seekers workshop impacting members of the Mature Community in a positive way.