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Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

Deadline: 15-Sep-21

Applications are now open for the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).

YALI was created in 2010 and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2020. Established in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship has brought nearly 4,400 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States for academic and leadership training. The Fellows, between the ages of 25 and 35, are accomplished innovators and leaders in their communities and countries.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the current challenges of global travel, the 2021 Mandela Washington Fellowship will be virtual. This decision was made with the health, safety, and well-being of Fellows and Fellowship Partners as the highest priority in this unprecedented time.

In 2021, the Fellowship will provide approximately 700 outstanding young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone their skills at a U.S. college or university with support for professional development after they return home.  The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX.

This Fellowship Includes:

A six-week Leadership Institute: Fellows are placed in groups of 25 at leading educational institutions across the United States—in both urban and rural areas—that represent the diversity of U.S. higher education. Institutes, which will take place from mid-June to late July 2022, will focus on skills development in one of three tracks: Leadership in Business, Leadership in Civic Engagement, or Leadership in Public Management.

A Summit in Washington, D.C.: At the conclusion of the Leadership Institutes, all Fellows will participate in a high-level Summit. Through a variety of sessions, Fellows will have the opportunity to network with each other and with U.S. leaders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The Summit will take place in July 2022.

An optional four-week Professional Development Experience: As part of the Fellowship application, individuals may apply to participate in a Professional Development Experience (PDE) at a U.S. NGO, business, or government agency.

Activities in Africa: Fellows will have access to networking opportunities, ongoing professional development, and volunteer opportunities upon their return home after the Fellowship. Leveraging Innovations in New Communities (LINC) Grants allow selected Alumni across cohort years, sectors, and regions to travel to each other’s organizations or communities or collaborate virtually to learn from each other’s best practices and expertise.

Financial Provisions of the Fellowship

There is no fee to apply to the Mandela Washington Fellowship. If you are selected for the Fellowship, the U.S. Government will cover all program costs. Financial provisions provided by the U.S. Government will include:
  • J-1 visa support;
  • Round-trip travel from Fellow’s home city to the United States and domestic U.S. travel as required by the program. Fellows must fly out of their home country within Africa to the United States;
  • A six-week Leadership Institute;
  • A concluding Summit in Washington, D.C.;
  • A limited accident and sickness benefit plan;
  • Housing and meals during the program; and
  • An optional four-week Professional Development Experience (for up to 100 Fellows).

Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Mandela Washington Fellowship is open to young African leaders between the ages of 25 and 35.
  • The Fellowship is an unparalleled opportunity to…
    • Participate in a six-week Leadership Institute at a U.S. college or university to share your experiences with and learn from U.S. citizens and other Fellows.
    • Explore industries beyond your daily work and expand your expertise.
    • Attend a Summit with young African leaders in Washington, D.C.
    • Meet with U.S. Government, civic, and business leaders.
    • Strengthen your work through new connections, skills, and ideas.
  • The Mandela Washington Fellowship is open to young African leaders who meet the following
  • criteria:
    • Are between the ages of 25 and 35 on or before the application submission, although exceptional applicants ages 21-24 will be considered;
    • Are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States;
    • Are eligible to receive a United States J-1 visa;
    • Are not employees or immediate family members of employees of the U.S. Government (including a U.S. embassy or consulate, USAID, or other U.S. Government entity);
    • Are proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English (applicants who are deaf should refer to the English Language instructions);
    • Are citizens of one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya,Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia,Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia,South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, or Zimbabwe;
    • Are residents of one of the above countries; and
    • Are not Alumni or prior participants of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.

For more information, visit https://www.mandelawashingtonfellowship.org/