The next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs and community innovators took centre stage in Fond St. Jacques where approximately 75 young people participated in a dynamic two-week summer camp aimed at transforming local knowledge, culture and resources into opportunities for growth and development.
Held under the theme “From Roots to Revenue: Growing Fond St. Jacques Through Youth Innovation,” the 2026 Fond St. Jacques Summer Camp equipped young people from Fond St. Jacques and the wider Soufriere community with practical skills in entrepreneurship, agriculture, tourism, leadership, innovation and cultural heritage.
“The camp was a two-week programme held from July 13 to 24, engaging approximately 75 young people between the ages of 7 and 18 from Fond St. Jacques and the wider Soufriere area. The camp sought to empower participants through hands-on learning in agriculture and agritourism, entrepreneurship, culture and heritage, tourism development, innovation, creativity, leadership and community pride,” added Camp facilitator and Social Transformation Officer for Soufriere and Choiseul, Nathan Deterville.
The initiative was implemented through collaboration between the Fond St. Jacques Development Committee and the Department of Equity, Social Justice, Gender and Older Persons, through the Community Services Unit, with support from the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF).
Camp Participants also took part in workshops, field visits and team activities designed to expose them to sustainable agriculture, tourism, entrepreneurship and community-based development opportunities.
Deterville further explained that beyond practical skills development, the initiative sought to deepen participants’ connection to their heritage and inspire them to become future leaders in their communities.
“Beyond skills development, the initiative sought to strengthen young people’s connection to their heritage and inspire them to become innovative, entrepreneurial and community-minded future leaders committed to the revitalization and development of Fond St. Jacques and Soufriere.” he explained.
The programme also placed emphasis on preserving traditional knowledge and community skills by creating opportunities for these practices to be passed on to younger generations.
Director of Social Transformation, Tanzia Toussaint, said the summer camp was strategically designed to help preserve valuable traditions and skills that are at risk of disappearing.
“The summer camp was very strategic this year. We recognized that certain traditional skills within our communities were gradually being lost, and we wanted to ensure that these skills were passed on to our young people in Saint Lucia. The summer period provided the ideal opportunity, giving us the time and space needed to engage participants in these important activities,” Toussaint noted.
The Fond St. Jacques Summer Camp helped build a more confident, resilient and enterprising generation, better equipped to contribute to the future development of Fond St. Jacques, Soufriere and Saint Lucia.
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