YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Applications are now open for YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African Leaders. check below for how to apply and the requirements.

About Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. The need to invest in grooming strong, results-oriented leaders comes out of the statistics: nearly 1 in 3 Africans are between the ages of 10 and 24, and approximately 60% of Africa’s total population is below the age of 35.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship will bring up to 700 young leaders to the United States in the summer of 2024 for a comprehensive executive-style program that is designed to build skills and empower Fellows to lead in their respective sectors and communities.

Benefits of YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship

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.

Requirements for YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship

Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, socioeconomic 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, 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.

Selection Process

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

A proven record of leadership and accomplishment in business or entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and/or public/government 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, and flexible attitude;
A demonstrated knowledge of, interest in, and professional experience in the preferred sector/Fellowship track and concrete goals for applying lessons knowledge and skills gained from the Fellowship to current and/or future work; and
A commitment to return to Sub-Saharan Africa and contribute skills and talents to build and serve their communities.

Application and Selection Timeline

August 15, 2023 | Application opens
September 12, 2023 | Application deadline
November 2023 – January 2024 | Semi-finalists interviewed by local U.S. embassies and consulates
March 2024 | Applicants notified of their status
May 2024 | Visa processing and Pre-Departure Orientations for Finalists
June 2024 | Fellowship begins in the United States

Selection Process and Criteria

The Mandela Washington Fellowship selection process is a merit-based open competition. After the deadline, independent readers will review all eligible applications. 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-Fellowship Orientation in their home country within Africa.

Selection of finalists from all eligible countries may be subject to review in response to local, national, or global events that impact the ability to conduct program activities.

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 the information is found to be false, the application will immediately be declared invalid and the applicant ineligible.