Deadline: July 31, 2025.

African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) is pleased to announce the launch of the inaugural African Women in Data Science Fellowship. This timely initiative responds to the growing demand for data-driven leadership to tackle the pressing challenges of food insecurity and climate change across Africa. They invite ambitious African women with foundational experience in data-related work and a strong motivation to deepen their skills and apply data science for transformative impact in agrifood systems and climate resilience.

The program targets African women from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Malawi with demonstrated experience in data-related roles and a commitment to applying data for development. Fellows will be drawn from diverse sectors, including government, academia, research, civil society, development agencies, and the private sector.

As a Fellow, you will engage in the following core activities:

• Participate in a 7-day, face-to-face women’s leadership course designed to strengthen your confidence, influence, and capacity to lead data-driven solutions (November 2025).
• Join a 2-week immersive in-person data science training course covering Python programming, machine learning, data wrangling, visualization, and statistical analysis (February 2026).
• Complete a 2-month virtual course focused on the application of data science tools to real-world challenges in agrifood systems and climate resilience (April – May 2026).
• Design and implement a data-driven capstone project addressing a practical issue in agriculture or climate. You will receive modest seed funding and technical guidance for project execution (February – September 2026).
• Undertake a competitive short-term institutional placement (1–3 months), known as Advanced Science Training (AST), within your home country. This placement provides an opportunity to apply your skills in a real-world setting and further deepen your technical expertise (May – September 2026).
• Receive ongoing guidance from senior data science professionals through structured mentoring relationships, including orientation, check-ins, and goal setting (March – November 2026).
• Participate in knowledge-sharing sessions, storytelling activities, and professional engagement opportunities through AWARD’s network (Throughout the fellowship).

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

1. You must have completed and been awarded a master’s degree by the time you apply for the Fellowship.
2. Eligible countries include Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, or Malawi.
3. You must reside in an African country throughout the Fellowship period to be eligible.
4. This fellowship specifically targets African women from the above listed countries.
5. Applicants living outside their country of citizenship may apply but they must reside in Africa throughout the Fellowship period.

BENEFITS

1. While the Fellowship is non-residential with the Fellows expected to remain in their institutions and countries of residence, Fellows will be required to attend various virtual and face-to-face activities that may take place outside their country of residence within Africa. Fellows will receive training in data science, leadership, and mentoring, delivered through both virtual and face-to-face sessions. They will participate in a 7-day face-to-face leadership training, a virtual mentoring orientation workshop with their mentors, modeled on AWARD’s proven leadership and mentoring programs. In addition, Fellows will undergo a 2-week intensive data science bootcamp covering core technical skills such as Python programming, machine learning, data visualization, and statistical analysis.
2. In addition to the core training, Fellows will have the opportunity to apply for a competitive 1–3-month Advanced Science Training (AST) placement at a relevant institution within their home country. These placements are designed to deepen technical expertise, provide exposure to cutting-edge tools and datasets, and foster collaborative partnerships with leading institutions working at the intersection of data science, agriculture, and climate.
3. Each Fellow will be paired with a senior data science professional from the agrifood or climate sectors. Mentors will provide one-on-one guidance, technical coaching, and career support throughout the Fellowship
4. The Fellowship does not provide cash payments except for covering direct expenses incurred for participation in events.

Find more information on the OFFICIAL WEBSITE