A transformative financial literacy event specifically designed for women successfully convened this week, bringing together over 25 participants. Organized under the banner ‘Faith & Finance,’ the gathering provided a comprehensive platform addressing longstanding barriers to financial education through direct resource access and proven strategic methodologies.
The event was meticulously curated by Sharlene Skinner and Sergin David of Bloom Events, focusing on delivering practical knowledge across multiple financial domains. Key workshop topics included intelligent investing principles, strategic utilization of insurance products, actionable saving techniques, and real-world success case analyses. Uniquely, all financial lessons were contextualized within faith-based frameworks, redefining money management as an essential component of personal stewardship.
Highlighting the program was a powerful keynote address by veteran business leader Alice Orie, who recounted her remarkable entrepreneurial journey beginning at age 13. Her narrative detailed how small business initiatives became survival mechanisms during her family’s financial struggles. With over four decades of business experience, Orie shared candid insights on navigating professional pitfalls, overcoming intense public scrutiny and gossip, and achieving sustained success. Her presentation extended beyond inspiration to include practical investment approaches, accessible saving methods, and the central role of faith in maintaining holistic success.
The educational experience was further enhanced by Ashwini Singh, investment analyst at event sponsor UTC Global Balance Fund, who conducted an intensive workshop on budget decoding. Singh demonstrated practical techniques for optimizing salary allocation across expenses while creating realistic saving structures. Complementary expertise was provided by Sagicor representatives Deborah Raoul and Sherlon Leon, who elucidated how various insurance instruments could be leveraged to advance long-term financial objectives.
The event proved particularly impactful for women primarily in their thirties and beyond, facilitating fundamental financial literacy development. Reflecting on the gathering, co-organizer Sharlene Skinner told St. Lucia Times: ‘Money remains a profoundly heavy topic. We critically need more spaces like this for understanding monetary nuances and improving our stewardship capabilities. This afternoon visibly demonstrated growing awareness and mindset shifts—precisely Faith & Finance’s purpose.’
Bloom Events confirms this inaugural gathering represents merely the beginning of this initiative, with subsequent events already in active development stages.