Growing up in poverty in Tower Hill, Kingston, Jamaica, 23 year-old Jahmel Brown was constantly told he would never amount to anything like his father who pushed handcarts in downtown Kingston. These words though belittling served as his driving force to excel. Despite passing his GSAT exams for the non-traditional Tarrant High School, Jahmel's exceptional performance earned him the top CSEC and CAPE performer.
He faced many challenges but he persevered and in 2019 he became the first in his family to attend a university, thanks to a scholarship for his first semester at the University of the West Indies. His journey was harder than the degree he said citing lack of resources, sleepless nights and depression but despite difficult circumstances, he continued to push himself and won several scholarships and awards along the way. He ultimately graduated with a first class honors degree in Public Policy and Management with a minor in Int'l Relations.
Today Jahmel's is pursuing a masters in International Public and development Management. He hopes that his success will inspire others in his family and community to believe that despite facing poverty and obstacles, they too can achieve greatness through hard work, determination and perseverance.
