The Mandela Washington Fellowship, begun in 2014, is the flagship program of President Obama’s Younger African Leaders Initiative (YALI) that empowers younger leaders by educational coursework, management coaching, and networking. In 2016, the Fellowship supplied practically 1,000 excellent younger leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa with the chance to hone their abilities at a U.S. increased schooling establishment with help for skilled improvement after they return house.
Ultimate candidates are self-identified leaders, aged 25 to 35, with confirmed accomplishment in selling innovation and constructive change of their organizations, establishments, communities, and international locations.
U.S.-based Actions
Educational and Management Institutes: Every Mandela Washington Fellow takes half in a six- week educational and management institute at a U.S. college or school in one in every of three tracks: enterprise and entrepreneurship, civic management, or public administration.
Summit: Following the tutorial part of the Fellowship, the Fellows go to Washington, D.C. for a summit. In the course of the three-day occasion, Fellows participate in networking and panel discussions with U.S. leaders from the general public, personal, and non-profit sectors.
Skilled Growth Expertise: Chosen Fellows stay within the U.S. to take part in a six-week skilled improvement expertise with U.S. non-governmental organizations, personal firms, and governmental companies associated to their skilled pursuits and targets.
Africa-based Actions
Upon returning to their house international locations, Fellows proceed to construct the talents they’ve developed throughout their time in the USA by help from U.S. embassies, Regional Management Facilities, the YALI Community, and customised programming from affiliated companions. Mandela Washington Fellows have entry to ongoing skilled improvement alternatives, mentoring, networking and coaching, and seed funding to help their concepts, companies, and organizations.
Software Data
The appliance contains primary data and questions in regards to the applicant’s skilled and educational expertise, together with academic background; honors and awards acquired; extracurricular and volunteer actions; and English language proficiency. A résumé can be requested (with dated academic {and professional} background), and private data (identify, deal with, telephone, e mail, nation of citizenship). Further components, akin to letters of advice or college transcripts, are OPTIONAL and will complement your software.
Who’s eligible to use?
Candidates won’t be discriminated in opposition to on the premise of race, coloration, gender, faith, socio-economic standing, incapacity, sexual orientation, or gender id. The Mandela Washington Fellowship is open to younger African leaders who meet the next standards:
Are between the ages of 25 and 35 on or earlier than the appliance deadline, though distinctive candidates ages 21-24 might be thought-about;
Usually are not U.S. residents or everlasting residents of the USA;
Are eligible to obtain a United States J-1 visa;
Usually are not staff or instant members of the family of staff of the U.S. Authorities (together with a U.S. embassy or consulate, USAID, and different U.S. Authorities entities);
Are proficient in studying, writing, and talking English (candidates who’re deaf ought to confer with the English Language directions on the Resources page);
Are residents of one of many following international locations: 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 many above international locations; and
Usually are not Alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.
Please notice that Fellows aren’t allowed to have dependents, together with spouses and youngsters, accompany them throughout the Fellowship. The U.S. Division of State and IREX reserve the correct to confirm all data included within the software. Within the occasion of a discrepancy, or if data is discovered to be false, the appliance will instantly be declared invalid and the applicant ineligible.
Choice Course of
The Mandela Washington Fellowship choice course of is a merit-based open competitors. After the deadline, all eligible functions might be reviewed by impartial readers. Following this evaluate, chosen semi-finalists might be interviewed by the U.S. embassies or consulates of their house international locations. Chosen semi-finalists might be required to take part in these in-person interviews of their house nation inside Africa. If superior to the semi-finalist spherical, candidates should present a replica of their worldwide passport (if out there) or different government-issued picture identification on the time of the interview. Chosen Finalists are required to attend the necessary Pre-Departure Orientation of their house nation inside Africa. The next standards might be used to judge functions (not so as of significance):
A confirmed file of management and accomplishment in enterprise or entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and/or public/authorities service;
A demonstrated dedication to public or group service, volunteerism, or mentorship;
The flexibility to work cooperatively in various teams and to respect the opinions of others;
Robust social and communication abilities;
An brisk, constructive, and versatile perspective;
A demonstrated information of, curiosity in, {and professional} expertise in the popular sector/Fellowship observe and concrete targets for making use of classes information and abilities gained from the Fellowship to present and/or future work; and
A dedication to return to Sub-Saharan Africa and contribute abilities and skills to construct and serve their communities.
Study Extra
Software Assets
Received questions? Go to our Frequently Asked Questions about the Fellowship application to be taught solutions to widespread queries.
Take a look at our Resources page to obtain and be taught extra about:
Directions for the Fellowship Software
Data for Potential Fellows with Disabilities
Data for Potential Fellows Who Are or Might Turn into Pregnant
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Namibia.