 14 budding fashion designers are now better equipped to advance their practice after participating in the scene to share fashion and contemporary design accelerator. The program provided the designers with the requisite training over a six-week period to improve their skills in order to create viable and sustainable businesses. The training modules included color and design, textile design, garment construction, pattern drafting, business development and mentorship. The facilitator for the Common Construction module, Sophia Jules, described the program as intense and one that required the participants to be patient and determined. Executive Director of the Scene to Share Social Development Fund, SSTF, Addison Mathre highlighted the importance of such programs aimed at the development of technical and vocational skills. I must tell you that I'm especially interested in training and capacity building of that nature. I've been a little partial to technical vocational training because I see it as one of the key ways of helping people out of poverty or to uplift their lives and that is primarily because there is so much of an easier transition from technical vocational training to the real world of work. The closing ceremony of the Accelerator program held on November 30th, 2021 at the Finance Administrative Center formed a graduation ceremony and a business pitch competition. The participants were given five minutes each to present their ideas to a panel of judges. Ten participants were provided EC $10,000 in grant funding and two participants received $5,000. The Creative Industries Innovative Fund of the Caribbean Development Bank, CDB, founded the Accelerator program. Marlene Joseph, Consulting Project Coordinator with the Creative Industries Innovative Fund, encouraged participants to optimize the grant funding and make the best of the opportunity. I really hope that the value of your fashion accelerator experience, it stays with you as you make steps toward your dreams of fashion industry careers. In the spirit of the CIF, I hope that you are inspired to lead the way in your communities, lead through innovation, collaboration and sustainable practice of your craft. Again, congratulations and good luck, best of luck to the 14 participants who are pitching today for prize grant awards. Minister for Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment Honorable Joachim Henry applauded their participants for taking steps towards their professional development. I believe that this program represents a very innovative and very creative strategy for reaching and engaging young people for active participation in national development and I commend the organizers in this regard. I also want to encourage the youth present here on orders out there to take advantage of opportunities such as this one to assist with your transition from school to the productive environment. Our unfortunate reality is that not everyone will be employed by a business entity and so it is important to recognize that some of us have the capacity to create sustainable employment for ourselves and possibly for others and of course beyond recognition to take action to convert your desires and dreams into reality. The Zindusia Fashion and Contemporary Design Accelerator was a joint initiative of the Caribbean Development Bank, CDB, Basic Needs Trust Fund, Creative Industries Innovative Fund, the Zindusia Social Development Fund and the Zindusia Fashion Council. From the Government Information Service, Lil Medi Mark reporting.