Men from across the island gathered at the Impact Ministries Centre in Bexon for the Freedom in Finance Summit on December 10. The free, community-focused summit brought together young men to discuss financial growth, development, and empowerment.
Representatives from the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund, the Youth Economy Agency, UTC Global Balanced Fund Limited and other agencies were present. Attendees learned everything from investing in mutual funds to planning for retirement.
The importance of men as leaders in society was also emphasised, with attendees called upon to step up and play their part in developing their homes, communities and nation.
The event was organised by IDEAS For Boys and Men, a non-profit that aims to help young men and boys find purpose in responsibility. Founder of I.D.E.A.S, Kevin Mathurin, an educator by profession, explained that the summit was born out of observing the needs of men and how knowledgeable professionals can help elevate them in this regard.
“We have been studying men’s mental health, one of our core areas of interest in our organisation, and we realise the inability for men to perform the traditional duty of providing for their families stems to some degree from a lack of financial knowledge,” he said.
Mathurin, who is a published author (Purpose Driven and Giant Magic Pants) and the host and creator of the IDEATION podcast, indicated that this forum will not be a one-off.
“We aim at executing this event in December to merge financial awareness month in October and men’s mental health month in November, hoping to prepare both our executives, members and the wider public in preparation for the next year 2026,” he said.
