Crafting Change: Inside the Shop with Her 2025 Pilot Programme

A wave of creative energy is sweeping through CARIFESTA XV, and at the heart of it is an inspiring new initiative: Shop with Her 2025. This pilot programme, launched in July, is dedicated to empowering 20 female entrepreneurs to create high-quality, handmade artisan products, ranging from handbags and fashion accessories to vibrant costumes and beaded jewelry.

The initiative is giving these women more than just materials and mentorship, it’s providing them with a platform to transform their talent into sustainable business ventures. Over the course of six months, they’re participating in intensive workshops, gaining hands-on experience, and building a strong foundation for creative entrepreneurship.

At the start of the programme, participants engaged in formal training led by local and international artisans who shared invaluable techniques, insights, and industry knowledge. 

The journey began with macramé bag making from July 16th to 23rd at Welches Plaza, where participants learned the art of crafting stylish knotted bags. That was followed by a vibrant series of Moko Somoko costume creation workshops, held across three days in different venues, starting at the Steel Shed on July 24th, moving to the Daphne Joseph Hackett Theatre and Queen’s Park Gallery Terrace on July 25th, and returning to the Steel Shed on July 26th.

Next came wig making from July 26th to 28th, also at the Steel Shed, where the women dove into the fundamentals of constructing custom wigs, a valuable skill in both fashion and performance. In August, the focus shifted to the art of beading, with a workshop that runs from August 8th to 31st at Welches Plaza.

A major highlight occurred on August 15th, when the participants learned from internationally celebrated artisan Cedi Nomoda Ebenezer Djaba, Director of the Cedi Beads Industry in Ghana. Cedi introduced the group to the traditional West African technique of making beads from clay and recycled glass, offering both cultural perspective and hands-on instruction.

Live at CARIFESTA XV: Showcasing Talent in Real Time

Now, as CARIFESTA XV unfolds, the women of Shop with Her 2025 are playing a dynamic role in the Grand Market. Visitors can witness their work in real time during live crafting sessions, where the artisans are producing items on-site, demonstrating not only their skill, but also the passion and purpose behind every creation.

Their booths are full of life, colour, and craftsmanship. Every piece is available for purchase, and 100% of the proceeds go directly to the artisans, supporting their personal businesses and reinforcing the programme’s goal of sustainable, women-led economic development.

A Movement in Progress

Shop with Her 2025 is proving to be far more than a pilot, it’s a powerful example of what can happen when women are given space to create, collaborate, and lead. As CARIFESTA continues, these 20 artisans are showing the region, and the world, that handmade doesn’t just mean handcrafted. It means heart-led, heritage-rich, and future-focused.

Visitors to the Grand Market still have time to experience the energy and excellence these women bring to their craft. And for those who miss it, this is just the beginning of their journey.

Written by

Annastacia Bernard

Volunteer - CARIFESTA XV