Deadline: September 13, 2022.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship will bring up to 700 young leaders to the United States in the summer of 2023 for a comprehensive executive-style program that is designed to build skills and empower Fellows to lead in their respective sectors and communities.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is 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 5,800 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.

ELIGIBILITY

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, or other U.S. Government entity);
• Are proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English (additional guidance coming for applicants who are deaf);
• Are citizens of one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), 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 of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.

Please note that Fellows are not allowed to have dependents, including spouses and children, accompany them during the Fellowship.

FINANCIAL BENEFITS

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.
• An optional four-week Professional Development Experience (for up to 100 Fellows).

BENEFITS

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.
• Participate in a Summit with young African leaders.
• 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.

TIMELINE

• August 16, 2022 | Application opens
• September 13, 2022 | Application deadline
• November 2022 – January 2023 | Semi-finalists interviewed by local U.S. embassies and consulates
• March 2023 | Applicants are notified of their status
• May 2023 | Visa processing and Pre-Departure Orientations for Finalists
• June 2023 | Fellowship begins in the United States

OFFICIAL LINK