Vanessa Winston, a 44-year-old resident of Roseau, Dominica, runs a small business creating handcrafted fashion accessories and serves as the President of the Dominica Arts & Craft Producers Association, supported by the UN to promote its members’ products.
Unfortunately, Hurricane Maria destroyed her home and workshop, where she produced all of her products. Despite this setback, she persevered and became a role model for other entrepreneurs in Dominica, even participating in the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange initiative at Buckingham Palace in London.
In an interview with UN News, Ms. Winston reflects on the difficult days following Hurricane Maria and shares how she managed to bounce back.
In 2017, Ms. Winston’s life was going well. She had just returned from a trade show in Barbados and was excited to take her business to the next level. However, Hurricane Maria had different plans.
Ms. Winston and her family initially sought shelter in their workshop during the storm, but the house was eventually destroyed. They were saved by the stairwell, but faced many challenges in the aftermath of the storm. Ms. Winston’s daughters had to temporarily live with family in Barbados, and the community and aid agencies like the UN and Red Cross provided assistance.
Ms. Winston and her fellow members of the Dominica Arts and Crafts Producers Association focused on restoring the forest, which was crucial for their industry as it provided raw materials for their products. They also ventured into beekeeping, using local wood to build beehives and utilizing the wax for polishing furniture products.
Ms. Winston credits the UN for providing business training and networking opportunities, which helped her to succeed and support her family. The UN has also aided Dominica in recovering from both Hurricane Maria and the COVID-19 pandemic, which greatly impacted the country’s economy.