At 50 Sonia Noel has lost none of her passion for fashion; except that her jubilee celebration is, she says, much more likely to bare the philanthropic side to her character. She is sharing, in her birth month, she says, not just to parade her widely recognized creative skills but also as a vehicle in which to give attention to the needs of the less fortunate.
The as yet unfinished commemorative birth month has not passed quietly. What has occurred so far have been a religious service, an engagement with media operatives, and a fireside sat that brought together “emerging and aspiring entrepreneurs.” The facilitators for the fireside chat which she described as “an inspirational occurrence,” comprised a group of her friends and admirers including Corrinne Graham President of the Graham International Consulting & Research Inc, Jamila Alexander CEO Uppoint In and Creative Innovator, businessman and Philanthropist Stanley Ming and Zulfikar Ally, Chairman of Amchan Guyana. Sonia herself and her close friend and Creative Industry Specialist Richard Young helped to put together the event.
One of the philanthropic gestures planned as part of the commemorative month will be a mentorship opportunity for eight persons four of whom will eventually receive a “small final grant to enhance their respective businesses.
This Friday and Saturday will see the staging of an event styled the New Awesome Exhibition which will feature fifty (50) small and emerging men and women-run businesses at the Giftland Mall. Here, she collaborates with the management of the Giftland Mall and the men’s apparel store Urban Life. The event, Sonia says, is intended “provide new businesses with exposure” where no registration fees are involved. “I am using this event to provide an opportunity for fifty small businesses,” Sonia says. The businesses that will participate in the event include enterprises in the Spa, T-Shirt printing and agro-processing industries.
Then there is the Breadbasket Project, a collaborative initiative with Joanne Prescod, Proprietrix of Le Treat Bakery that takes to the streets to give loaves to the needy. Fifty more loaves will be handed out this weekend.
There are other giveaways too……like the opportunity that a further fifty persons will be afforded to register for Sonia’s Confidence Becomes You course which is being delivered at no cost to participants. Free.
A book-signing involving Sonia and other authors which will also offer ‘book bargains’ will also be part of the event.
