Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders 2020

Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders 2020

Application Opens – September 12, 2019.

Application Closes – October 9, 2019.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Since 2014, nearly 4,400 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa have participated in the Fellowship. The Fellows, between the ages of 25 and 35, are accomplished leaders and have established records of promoting innovation and positive impact in their communities and countries. 

The Mandela Washington Fellowship will bring up to 700 young leaders to the United States in the summer of 2020 for a comprehensive executive-style program that is designed to build skills and empower Fellows to lead in their respective sectors and communities.

This 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 to learn from
  Americans 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.
• Join a continental and global Alumni network to help you seek innovative solutions to common challenges.

Application and Selection Process

The Mandela Washington Fellowship selection process is a merit-based open competition.  After the deadline, all eligible applications will be reviewed by independent readers.  Following this review, chosen semi-finalists will be interviewed by the U.S. embassies or consulates in their home countries.  Selected semi-finalists will be required to participate in these in-person interviews in their home country within Africa.  If advanced to the semi-finalist round, applicants must provide a copy of their international passport (if available) or other government-issued photo identification at the time of the interview.  Selected Finalists are required to attend the mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation in their home country within Africa.

Eligibility

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 who meet the following criteria:

• Are between the ages of 25 and 35 on or before the application deadline, 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, and other U.S. Government entities);
• Are proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English (applicants who are deaf should refer to the English Language instructions on the Resources page);
• Are citizens and residents of eligible countries (to be announced); and
• Are not Alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.

Please note that Fellows are not allowed to have dependents, including spouses and children, accompany them during the Fellowship. The U.S. Department of State and IREX reserve the right to verify all information included in the application.  In the event of a discrepancy, or if information is found to be false, the application will immediately be declared invalid and the applicant ineligible.

Criteria for selection

The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications (not in order of importance):

• A proven record of leadership and accomplishment in business, civic engagement, or public service;
• A demonstrated commitment to public or community service, volunteerism, or mentorship;
• The ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and to respect the opinions of others;
• Strong social and communication skills;
• An energetic, positive attitude;
• A demonstrated knowledge of, interest in, and professional experience in the preferred sector/track; and
• A commitment to return to Africa and apply leadership skills and training to benefit the applicant’s country and/or community after they return home.

For more info visit Mandela Washington Fellowship