Johanan Dujon, Shane Javed Browne and Janeel Boon to receive hands-on business training following Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative.
THREE ‘OECS 30 Under 30 winners’ have been selected to participate in the 2018 cohort of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Professional Fellows Programme which builds linkages between young leaders across the hemisphere.
According to the OECS Communications Unit, YLAI addresses the opportunity gap for youth by empowering business and social entrepreneurs with the training, tools, networks and resources they need to transform their societies and contribute more fully to economic development and prosperity, security, human rights and good governance in the hemisphere.
Shane Javed Browne and Janeel Boon (both of Saint Kitts and Nevis) and Johanan Dujon of Saint Lucia, are currently immersed in a the YLAI Professional Fellows Programme – a 5-week course for entrepreneurs, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The three OECS entrepreneurs attended the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative 2018 Launch in Detroit, Michigan on September 20, 2018 where they were able to meet over 200 other promising leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean.
All three have now been transferred to the various states within the United States where they have been paired with select businesses to expand their leadership and entrepreneurial skills and network through skills-building workshops and opportunities to learn from and exchange with U.S. counterparts.
Shane Javed Browne from Saint Kitts and Nevis is the Founder and CEO of the retail store SKN Village. Dedicated to satisfying the fashion-forward style of millennials, SKN Village offers trendy gear at affordable prices on an online shopping platform.
Shane is partnered with Do Good Co., a nonprofit lifestyle store in Kansas City that offers curated home furnishings and apparel. Janeel Boon from Saint Kitts and Nevis is the CEO of Boon’s Computer Repairs, a company that aims to provide computer services and educate community members about the computer world.
Janeel is partnered with NWG Solutions, Charlottesville’s new breed of computer repair and managed IT services. NWG offers critical care for computer networks quickly and efficiently, day or night.
Johanan Dujon from Saint Lucia is the Founder and Managing Director of Algas Organics, the Caribbean’s first indigenous agriculture biotechnology company. Algas Organics uses Caribbean plants to formulate environmentally-friendly agricultural inputs, which are designed to improve crop resilience and increase yields without harming their users or damaging the environment.
Johanan is partnered with Little Rock Urban Farming (LRUF), a community based food enterprise located in the heart of Little Rock, Arkansas. LRUF specialises in the production of organic fruits, vegetables, herbs and cut flowers for local markets, and is dedicated to urban organic food production.
The YLAI Professional Fellows program will conclude on October 23, 2018 in Washington, D.C.
According to the statement from the OECS, “The participants will then join the more than 500 alumni of past YLAI Professional Fellows Programmes who maintain a cohesive network across Latin America and the Caribbean to support each other’s efforts to improve their own ventures, share best practices, and collaborate to reduce the opportunity gap and contribute to economic prosperity in their communities.”