At an age when most children are focused on schoolyard games and homework, 11-year-old Ameko Lamm is building a platform for positivity, lifting up his community, and preparing to step into the role of head boy when he enters sixth grade this semester. A student at Faith Way Christian Academy in The Bahamas, Ameko has already notched a string of impressive achievements: from interviewing NBA star Buddy Hield on his YouTube channel, to distributing encouraging wristbands to local primary schoolers, to gearing up to hand out 200 hygiene kits to residents in need this coming weekend.
Ameko’s YouTube project, *Kidversations with Lil Meko*, fills a unique niche in local content creation: it spotlights influential Bahamian personalities, grassroots community leaders, and high-achieving young people across the islands, all while pushing other children to get involved in service work in their own neighborhoods. The idea for the channel grew from Ameko’s own love of YouTube content; after watching his favorite creators for years, he decided he wanted to build something meaningful that would empower young people to chase their talents and create change around them.
Since the channel launched, Ameko has sat down with a range of notable guests, including NBA guard Buddy Hield and popular Bahamian content creator Vocab Bahamas. For Ameko, a lifelong basketball fan, the conversation with Hield stands out as a career highlight so far. The opportunity came about unexpectedly when Ameko’s father ran into the professional athlete at a local restaurant, and asked if the 11-year-old could interview him for his channel. “He gave my daddy his number,” Ameko explained to The Tribune. “We went and I interviewed him. We talked about what team line up he would use, and what he would do if he wasn’t a basketball player.”
Beyond chasing exciting interviews, Ameko intentionally crafts content that is engaging, family-friendly, and motivating for young audiences. The project has also pushed him to grow personally: though he has taken home wins at multiple speech and poetry competitions, Ameko says he has always struggled with nervousness when talking to new people. Running an interview-focused YouTube channel has forced him to face that anxiety head on, and helped him build confidence he never had before.
His impact stretches far beyond the screen, too. Recently, Ameko distributed 100 custom motivational wristbands to students at CW Sawyer Primary School, spreading words of encouragement to younger learners across the island. This Saturday at noon, he will take on his next big service project: distributing 200 complete hygiene kits to community members at Emerald Gardens Park.
For Ameko, community service is never about seeking fame or attention – it is about the tangible difference he can make in other people’s lives. “I don’t just give back because I can, I do it to see the smiles on other people’s faces,” he said. Citing his faith, he added: “In the Bible it says be kind to our neighbours. I give back because I know there are less fortunate who may not have as much as others do.” When asked what superpower would help him with his community work, he answered without hesitation: courage. It takes nothing more, he explained, to turn around someone’s day.
Balancing the demands of school, student leadership, extracurricular activities, and a growing YouTube channel is no small feat for an 11-year-old, but Ameko says he has a strong support system to keep him going. His parents have stood by him through every misstep and success, and his younger brother serves as an unofficial “mini-manager” who keeps Ameko motivated. “I also have a little brother who’s like my mini-manager, so there’s someone so small looking up to me,” he said. “There’s no way I cannot succeed.”
Looking to the future, Ameko hopes to one day work as a meteorologist. For other young people who dream of starting their own projects or giving back, he has a simple, powerful message: keep pushing toward your goals, and trust that you are capable of more than you think. “You are your biggest motivation, and only you can limit yourself where you want to go,” he said, adding that his faith keeps him grounded through every challenge.