Deadline: September 10, 2024.

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 6,500 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 2025 for a comprehensive executive-style program that is designed to build skills and empower Fellows to lead in their respective sectors and communities.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is open to young African leaders who meet the following criteria:

• Are between the ages of 25 and 35 as of the application deadline (September 10, 2024), although exceptional applicants ages 21-24 may 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 (spouses, parents, children, or siblings) 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 will be permanently residing there as of May 1, 2025 and at the beginning of the Fellowship in June 2025.
• Are not Alumni or prior participants of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.

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.

Find more information on the OFFICIAL LINK