Brown will join its influential network of more than 1600 active Fellows representing countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific, says Sandra Glasgow, Chair of the local nominating committee comprising local Fellows.
“This was a highly competitive process”, Glasgow pointed out, explaining that Brown’s strong track record as an innovator in Jamaica’s social sector, made her the nominating committee’s preferred candidate.
“The local Fellows are ecstatic that Saffrey represented Jamaica so well in the Fellowships’ rigorous selection process in Philadelphia. We are very proud of her and are confident that the customised programme will significantly advance her personal and professional growth. We expect that on her return, her work will be greatly enhanced by the experiences gained, and that Jamaica will see consequential outcomes and continued development of the social sector,” Glasgow said.
Each year, the programme seeks diverse, dynamic leaders from across the world representing all professional sectors – private, public and nonprofit - to engage in transformative exchanges of knowledge and ideas with thought leaders, visionaries and achievers in their respective fields. What they share is a desire to make meaningful positive change in the world in collaboration with peers across sectors and borders.
According to the programme, it selects ‘ambitious, disciplined and rising leaders with the vision to make the world a better place as well as the ability to create and implement a concrete plan to make that vision a reality post-fellowship.’ The Fellows are expected to enhance the Eisenhower Fellowships’ values of peace, prosperity and justice, with real-world impact when they return home.
Social Financing for Impact
“I am extremely honoured to have been selected for what I know will be an outstanding opportunity for my continuing growth and contribution to the social sector in Jamaica,” Brown stated.
Acknowledged as one of the earliest leaders in social enterprise development in Jamaica, Brown says that she will continue to pursue learning and dialogue that will lead to even further improvement of the ecosystem for social enterprise and impact business in Jamaica.
“I intend to use this opportunity to become the champion for the development of a clear approach to social financing,” she said, adding, “As national and regional challenges continue to mount, the timing is ripe as there is both the need and the opportunity to pursue positive benefits for society, resolve the problems of capitalism from within the system, and reframe finance as a force for engendering, rather than disrupting the public good,” she exclaimed.
“I strongly believe that Jamaica and the region need to focus on investing in businesses and ventures that create the value and impact that we so desperately seek. Once we can channel investments and resources to pilot, test and scale market-driven solutions, then we will be able to both scale important solutions, and address them in a sustainable and inclusive way,” Brown concluded.
The expected outcome of Brown’s work on her return from the Eisenhower Fellowship will be: increased investment in local social programmes and innovations; improved reporting of social financing outcomes, and the achievement of sustainable development goals through business and investment.
As a social entrepreneur, Brown co-founded The Leap Co. Ltd. in 2018 that seeks to develop ventures built on profitable models that deliver solutions to environmental, social and economic challenges. Among her significant achievements is the design and implementation of high-impact programmes, which led to the development of a vibrant social economy in the island.
Brown, who is also Chairperson for the Council of Voluntary Social Services, now joins the local network of previous Eisenhower Fellows from Jamaica including Dr. Earle Spencer Taylor (1982), Morin Seymour (1995), Sandra Glasgow (2000), Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee Jr. (2014) and Imani Duncan-Price (2018). Luminaries, now deceased, include Horace Barber (1969), Astil Sangster (1973), Dr Keith Panton (1988), Jennifer Cox (1991) and Pauline Rosalind Gray (1997).
Currently in its 67th year and named for America's 34th president, the Eisenhower Fellowships bring together innovative leaders from across geographies and sectors, who tackle big challenges to better the world around them. Nearly 2,400 mid-career leaders from more than 100 countries have benefited from the unique, customised experience since 1953.
