Jahmel Brown providing opportunities for Caribbean youth
Published:Saturday | August 2, 2025 | 12:07 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
JAHMEL BROWN has faced significant challenges because of his age, socio-economic status, and geographic location, which were influenced by his upbringing in Tower Hill, an inner-city community in St Andrew, Jamaica.
Brown has witnessed first-hand the systemic inequalities that restrict access to education and career opportunities. These issues, combined with his formative experiences of financial constraints and social prejudices, shaped his experiences and exposed him to the harsh realities of systemic inequality, limited educational access, and deeply rooted issues of poverty.
His experiences motivated him to create Opportunities for Caribbean Youth (OFCY), an initiative aimed at helping others overcome similar obstacles. This groundbreaking youth-led platform is designed to tackle the deep disparities that Caribbean youth experience in accessing jobs, scholarships, fellowships, internships, and leadership programmes.
“Opportunities for Caribbean Youth was established to address the complex issue of disparity that Caribbean youths face in accessing various opportunities, such as jobs, scholarships, fellowships, and other youth programmes at the national, regional, and global levels,” Brown said.
The youth platform, he said, was developed to serve as a bridge between youth and life-changing opportunities, many of which go unnoticed or are difficult to access because of information gaps and socio-economic divides.
“This youth initiative aims to ensure that no one is left behind by helping young people in the Caribbean realise their potential, as many are unaware of the opportunities available to them. OFCY provides a community for Caribbean people to come together and take advantage of a comprehensive array of opportunities, such as jobs, internships, fellowships, scholarships, and youth programmes at the fingertips of Caribbean youth, which are entirely free,” Brown said.
Brown proudly holds the title of first-generation university graduate from The University of the West Indies, Mona. He has also obtained a diploma in paralegal studies from the Law College of the Americas. Through various scholarships, Brown attended university and college simultaneously, showcasing his commitment to educational and personal growth.
He is currently pursuing a Master’s in International Public and Development Management at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
His extraordinary path is marked by resilience, having emerged from a low-income community in St Andrew, Jamaica, where his mother was employed as a domestic worker and his father as a street vendor.
OFCY has shared over 3,300 opportunities, reaching over 7,000 young people across Instagram, TikTok, Google, and the platform’s website. This youth initiative aims to bridge the gap in access to scholarships, internships, fellowships, and professional development opportunities across the Caribbean region.
“OFCY is more than just a platform, it is a movement for equity and youth empowerment, built by a young person who understands what it is like to grow up with limited access and unlimited potential. This initiative is not only transforming individual lives but also contributing to the long-term social and economic development of the region,” Brown said.
Young people in the Caribbean can access OFCY Youth through various user-friendly and free channels designed to ensure broad and equitable reach across the region. OFCY is available on Instagram, TikTok, Google, and its own website.
The official OFCY website serves as the primary hub for all existing opportunities: https://opportunities-for-caribbean-youth.org. Users can browse and access curated opportunities in categories such as scholarships, fellowships, internships, jobs, grants, and other youth development programmes. Each listing typically includes eligibility criteria, deadlines, benefits, and application links.
“The platform is open to Caribbean youth age 16 to 30, including students, young professionals, aspiring changemakers, and individuals from low-income, rural, or underserved communities. OFCY provides access to a variety of opportunities without any registration fees or barriers. It’s simply about providing access,” Brown said.
“Together, we are rewriting the narrative, one opportunity at a time,” Brown said.