MANCHESTER, Jamaica —Business owner Monique Nash is no stranger to philanthropy. She has been using her platform as business owner to empower others since the very day she opened her doors.

Nash is the proprietor of Spa La Vie, located in Mandeville, which opened its doors over seven years ago under the name Coco Flair.

She has partnered with the HEART Trust NSTA to provide internships for students. These students are then trained while on the job. Based on availability, some of these students manage to gain permanent employment at Spa La Vie.

Staff members employed at Spa La Vie are often sent on training programmes out of their area of expertise. These include development workshops, entrepreneurship programmes, skills training in nails, massage, and management. This initiative is funded one hundred per cent by the company.

“I believe in building others,” Nash said. “The stronger your staff, the stronger your company.”

An alumna of Knox College, each year for Girls’ Day, Nash makes herself available to be a motivational speaker and to offer various giveaways to the school.

With a workforce that is 95 per cent female, Nash believes that these initiatives will help to empower women.